Our Children's Fable
by sailorx273
Summary: This fable begins, when the daughter of the famous Doctor of Vesuvia gets a letter from her brother through a stranger one foggy morning. Starring fanchildren of My ApprenticexDr. Julian Devorak
1. Chapter 1

A girl with chestnut tresses pinned into to lower buns on button of her hair pieces of her bangs braided either side of her heads. Dressed in loose clothing and roman styled sandals with leather satchel on over her shoulders. Sat on top of a wooden crate labeled fragile in red coloring just messing around with set of cards. Shuffling them repeatedly as she looked out toward the sea awaiting for a sails certain ship to blow. To only lay the deck down and pull the top three cards form the pile with her eyes still on the view of the sea. Each one turned upside down without being being revealed by trembling fingertips leaving their surfaces.

"Will he be on this one?" She begged the first card she would flip over.

What she got was the Kings of Cups as her first card while the other two she flipped over were The Lovers and Three of Pentacles. Had a blush spread across her face when her baby blues just stared at those cards and she lost track of time. Some dock hands that were new and weren't familiar with her face would stop to look up and wonder who she was. To be told by a few of the seniors, that she is the youngest daughter some doctor and a local magician in town. She been coming to these docks for a few months without anyone accompany to watch the ships come in and out. Always playing around with those worn tarot cards as she mumbled to her self about when her brother was going to show up. Rare moments she would to a reading for one of the dock hands or even someone stepping off one of the ships.

"Incoming!" Shouting of Galleon coming Into port was had her scooping up the cards and shoving the whole deck in her back. She was helped off the crate by one of the dock workers telling her this may not be the one she been waiting for. Had her showing in the latest letter from her brother spoke about him coming home in next few weeks. Had her being called hopeful by this dock hand before he was told all hands were needed when the Galleon came in. "All Available Hands!"

She was told to hurry home before her parents or one of their friends came looking for her since she couldn't keep coming here. Would be ignored by her as the dock hand went to work with rest of the others to secure lines and do docking procedures. Which were watched from ropes safely fasten and a gangplank was unloaded from the Galleon. By the girl grasping the strap of her bag as people with different faces started to walk off one by one in a line. Each passing head her eyes looked over stepped on to dock and would greet her in their own way as they passed her. Slowly chipped away at a desire the girl carried within her heart since she came here before run rose to greet the morn.

"Juliana Padmavati, I presume?" A rather masculine voice made her jump upon asking if that was her name.

She spun on her sandal clad foot to face who asked if she was the person who went by the name he spoke. What her eyes looked upon was blonde haired gentlemen in a button up white shirt under a high collar waist coat with a cravat. Sash tied around his waist and calf length boots were skimmed over by her. Noticing tuckered under his double-Breasted Frock Coat worn on one his arms as other part was draped over his other shoulder. Had her reaching out to see what the had seen under the coat and barely touching the shoulder. Would be halted by him doing the reveal using his right arm to pull away the part of his coat that was drape to reveal a bandaged hand, in a made shift sling.

"Mauled arm in the process mending." He explained. "What I get for protecting someone."

"Ou! Yes, I am Juliana Padmavati Devorak." She rubbed her left arm while doing her best hurt expression. "You are?"

"Kipling Alphonso DeQuetteville." He pulled something from his pocket. "This is for you."

Her eyes laid on a folded piece of paper and her name scribbled on the one of the flaps which was meant for her. She would take while being told by this Kipling that someone they both knew wanted this note delivered and reason why he was here. He encouraged her to read while he had to get a few things from what was being unloaded from the Galleon. Had him walking off with a promise he would be back as he watched her unfold the paper and read the contains. Turning his back to fetch his bag from one of the dock hands as he turned down help in carrying the item. Ready to turn back and ask the young lady where he could stay here for a few days until he handle some personal business. Just he found a sniffling young thing on the verge spilling tears with a crumbled letter clenched within her humble hands. He told her to breath slowly before using her words or doing anything that would get her in trouble without being thought out. Left him to put down his bag and hand her a handkerchief from his waistcoat's beast pocket and inform her dry her tears. She explained the letter her gave her bad news about sender of the letter keeping his promise. Which had her asking what her relations to the person who couldn't keep called her brother.

"Can we have a munch more private setting then on the docks." He pointed out where they were standing and people staring.

She mumbled something about being her father's daughter before he suggest he follow her to a more private setting. He agreed by following her away from the docks and through out most of Vesuvia as a quiet stroll. Nothing was said between them. Landmarks were pointed out by Kipling as they passed each one to where he was being taken by this girl.

"Mind to tell me where your taking me?" He would ask her.

His answer would soon come when they came into viewing range of a multiply story building with snakes wrapped around a stick on sign above the door's frame. The girl would pulled a braided string holding a 2 prong key from her bag to use on the locked front door. She would open after turning to unlock door to open for her and this man she brought here. A sign written in readable hand writing was turned to closed sign and hung clearly in the door's window. Could be clearly seen when the man was allowed to pass through the threshold with clear instructions on where to go. Opening motion of the door would cause a bell hung above the door's frame to shake to make a ringing sound. Stopping in place and taking in the sight of what looked like a apothecary's work shop from desk to cabinets behind. After closing and locking up the front door the girl told him to head to a doorway covered by red and black curtain. Stepping into what was a back part of this shop's first floor with a small hallway that led into a dining area, and a large kitchen.

On the ground Kipling would place the bag he been carrying to take in the small details from dried herbs hung from the fireplace's mantle. Each one carefully placed just near the enough fireplace's opening to be licked by the heat of the fire. Everything else was surrounded around this giant opening in the wall were a whole person could fit inside. Wooden counters spread through out the room for all kinds of preparation with a stone mortar & pestle lay near to a sink. Series of shelves and a few cabinets were scattered among these surfaces and filled with dishware of all kinds. Large table had a seasonal center piece made from local plant life found from Forest on edge of the city with stone vase in the middle. A bench was on one side and chairs on the other side the table with carved designs throughout.

"About my question about your relation to my brother and how your know my name?" Juliana would bring up their previous conversation.

"Your brother gave me quite a detailed description about you." Kipling stated removing his coat. "I am his lover."

Kipling had wished he had use of both his arms to cover his ears when Juliana ended up yelling word 'WHAT' so loudly. To block out the girl's yell when his ears started to Being told that man that she just meant on the docks when waiting for her brother and gave her a letter from him. Is a person having a sexual or romantic relationship with her brother outside of marriage was a shocker. Since her brother never spoke in any of his letters about having a lover to the family in past from months.

"I should have taken his warnings about your being a screamer." Kipling mumbles. "Seriously."

"Sorry, I am not one for surprises from my brother." She spoke blinking. "I kinda grew up experiencing sudden dramatic or surprising events."

Kipling would agree with her since her brother always had pulled something on him when their relationship started last year. His removed coat was tossed over the top of his bag while giving full view of his slinged limb pressed against his chest. Going on about one such event that led to his injured limb that was being stared at by this girl.

"They say I was lucky to have walked away with this arm still attached." Kipling wiggled his fingers of his slinged arm. "Nothing to worry about."

"Doesn't surprise me." Juliana blankly stared at him.

Before she could direct him to the roped off stairwell and show him to a guest room when through the front door her mother and aunt stepped. One carried a large basket on her arm filled with freshly picked plants with savory or aromatic properties. A blue tarantula with a fractal-like pattern on his abdomen was hitching a ride in the basket. A large saturniid moth that came in earth tones sat on her shoulder with its wings slowly flopping opened and closed. Other carried a another basket hinged to the side of her hip and came with a lid that was fastens shut from prying eyes. Using her free hand to let other walk through and ask if she needed any help with sorting out the plants she forged. Was accepted by her since she wanted to make it in time to take the wash to the local laundry as she turned her head.

"Juliana! " The woman could sense someone(s) in the back of the shop. "Are you back from the docks?"

"Your brother with you?" Other woman happily asked.

"Hi mom and No Aunt Portia." Juliana would answer them staring at Kipling. "I have his lover instead."

As soon as those words left Juliana's mouth as she never took her eyes off Kipling with hope that he was ready for what was coming. First one through the doorway the two had stepped through previously was Juliana's mother and then her Aunt Portia. Both woman then stopped on either of Juliana to stare at Kipling as if he was foreign object. Introducing himself by name and what brought him here in his lover's place as kindly as he could to those leering eyes. Going on how he met his lover when the person was finishing up their studies in medicine somewhere in Prakra.

"He's told me so much about you two." Kipling addressed Portia and Juliana's mother. "Very glad to meet you."

Portia looked at Juliana's mother then back at Kipling before accepting his greeting with one of her own and hand shake. Extending a invitation to him to come visit the palace with her sister- in- law and rest of the family when ever he can. He would accept as he learned Juliana's mother preferred to be called by her given name Jewel Devorak during they hand shake. Have attention to the coat and bag that had been sitting on the floor and waiting to be moved somewhere else. Led to someone showing him to the upper floor where he could use a guest room and settled in.

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When one is told your son's lover was set up in guest room after your daughter met him at the docks thinking she would meet her brother. One wouldn't be excited to meet this person after you came back from a other side of town after tending to someone. Would be the first thing that Julian did after greeting Jewel and Juliana when he came through the front door. Hugging one from behind to tightly she didn't care if air would be squeezed from her lungs. Would welcome her husband by turning in those arms to be lifted into the air and spun by him as a simple kiss was shared. Refused to be kissed by her father when he made a attempt to even wrap a single arm around her small waist. Led Julian to his third option, that to brighten his mood within the dining room having tea.

Kipling had forgoes his sling to air out his arm while he was reading some leather bond notebook with hand writing inside. He turned the page after reading through the paragraphs to move on to what was next and so on and so on for him. To set the book down when he heard a creak in the floor boards leading into the dining room from front entrance way. Turning his head to look at the person his lover has told him so much about in their time short together as couple. Using his good hand to into inter- pocket of his waist coat and remove a strange brooch embedded with a coat of arms. He he place on the book when he came face to face with Julian wearing his best smile just for him.

"I am Kipling Alphonso DeQuetteville." He introduced him self by name. "I already know about you and your lovely wife."

Julian was then offered to sit any where he wanted at this table so they could start getting to know each other through conversation. Would be seconded by Jewel, when she entered from behind her husband asking he wanted his usual coffee. Kissing him on the cheek as she passed him to make her way to the brink stove top where mug and kettle lay. Be stopped when Julian took a hold of her arm to keep her close as whispered in her ear if something was wrong, she could tell him. Had answering him back they were being given a chance to get to know a new member of their family.

"Behave or you'll sleeping on the floor tonight." She would warn him to play nice.

"Not like we hadn't done that on the floor." He smirking recalling one of their many carnal moments.

"I know, Now. Go. Play. Nice. Ilya." She lightly bit the tip of his nose.

His smile turned into one of pure lust from him biting his lower lip to the pleading eyes of kicked puppy portrayed in his eyes. Which got him told later and him being turned toward the third person in the room making a coughing noise to remind them.

"May we?" Kipling asked ready to begin.

Which had Julian taking the seat at the table while Jewel went to stove to make cup and another pot of tea for her and Kipling. Began a colorful conversation about the person their son had come to take as a lover during his time away from home. Kipling made sure to fill them on everything that happen between him and their son since before he came here. From how they met when their son performed mouth- to- mouth resuscitation on Kipling to their first date. Details of his bandaged up arm that he Julian to look at by undoing the careful tied stiffened with starch around his limb. Gloves hands worked around wood splints embedded in the stiffen cloth to keep the limb form elbow to first knuckle; mobile.

"Who ever did this." Julian laid the wounded arm out bare to him. " Has done fine work."

"I am impressed." Jewel would soon join them.

She laid a wooden serving tray filled with a mismatched tea set on the table between two as she laid a mug of coffee for Julian. Whose attention was taking in the fine work of who ever resign the bones and mended the skin of this recovered arm.

"This would be your son." Kipling would answer them. "He wanted to make up for being the cause of my injury."

Trying your lover's parents that series of events involving he and a rowdy group of people over a number of days which didn't turn out will. Had Jewel stating that their son inherited his father's flare for the dramatics and her sarcastic tongue. That comment put a smile on Julian's face besides the fact his son had gone into medicine to become a doctor. Would soon when fresh bandages and and a glass jar filled with resin with snap lid were brought over to redo his wrappings. Julian recycled the wooden splints when he removes his gloves to re-wrap Kipling's arm in careful matter.

"May I ask why your daughter makes it a habit to go to the docks every morning and wait there?" Kipling would ask about Juliana.

"Her way of waiting for her brother to come home." Jewel answered. "He said in his last letter he was coming home sometime this month."

"Why is that your here and he isn't?" Julian would ask.

The answer came from Juliana as she would end up showing them the letter Kipling had handed delivered to him. Before taking a seat and stealing Kipling's refilled tea cup and start drinking as her parents looked over the contains of the letter. Taking a seat on the corner of the table then a actual chair with one of her hands resting beside her. Crossing one legs over the other as she leaned toward Kipling and his newly bandaged arm with new found interest.

"I am going to be called brother- in- law or something else along those lines?" She asked Kipling.

"Me and your brother aren't that far into our relationship." He warned her.

"Just asking." She empties the tea cup. "Your kinda fun to have around."

Down went the cup and up went the metal brooch that Kipling had put aside with the book he been reading as to look at it. She could make out a coat of arms made swirls decorated around a single symbol of a blade piercing blooded heart.

"It's my family coat of arms." Kipling spoke about the pin. "Been with me since I was Knighted."

"WHAT?" Juliana's yells caught her parents attention.


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting on a sill with a brush in hair brush in hand and wearing a rather large billowy shirt as she peered toward the Vesuvia sky. Shades of midnight blue and darkest of purples spreads across a star filled horizon she come love about this city. Goose bumps had covered skin that was still being kissed by the chilly air that had filled her shared bedroom. Pair of long legs that were bare to the world and stretched outward as noticeable view of her cleavage. Curled tresses of Chestnut Brown rested on a shoulder that was peeking out from collar of the shirt was wearing. Would soon have her attention turned away from sight outside the window by someone called to her from their bedside. Scattered rose pedals in the outline of a heart in center of their bed while he laid in a seductive pose in all his glory.

"Would you like to join me?" He's come to ask with his signature smile.

Off her seat she would slide to firmly place her feet on the firmly on the wooden panels of the floor while leaving her hair brush behind. Taking step after step toward the occupied parts of the bed shedding the shirt by allowing it to pool at her feet. Leaving her to become naked like person on the bed just watching her the whole time she approached him. Who win turn would all her crawl on top of him in a straddling position as bed made a loud creaking sound. Would be followed by a groaning from one of the coupe when he started to groan upon feeling fingers on him. Places on each touch on his body on one Erogenous Zone, so slowly she seemed to be drag out of the pleasure. Soon her giggles would be mixed in when she started getting tickled by the other in retaliation for her teasing touches. Had her hips being gripped by one hand and have each one hid finger tips trace the outer edge of her face.

When her azural blue eyes looked into his Greyish ones with a light blush just appearing on her cheeks made his smile grew. An old phrase he once told her so long ago when he ended up cupping the side of her face would set a mood for the two. Since she would lean down and end up leaning downward slowly opening her mouth and barely sticking her tongue in his mouth a little bit. He would come to push his tongue into her mouth as she lightly sucked on his tongue. She ended up biting his cheek when she felt the tip of him at her entrance during the kiss. His grip on her hip become assuring him when he saw a fear in her eyes he rarely seen. He would have shared more words with her about them not needing to go through this. Only have one of his hand on her face taken by one of her free hands before she answered him.

When their fingers of those hands intertwined and she was able slowly impale herself onto him within that moment. Would become a nightmare for anyone awake outside the locked bedroom on this floor. The noises they started to make from positive stimulus from their psychical sensations as couple. Became the reason one Auburn haired girl was woken up just when she was in middle of a strange dream. Details of woman and wands wee blocked out when the sounds of a head board repeatedly on wall. Got a pillow thrown at the wall by her as her way of trying to quiet down her parents for second. Seem to amplify that love making, that left her to being the first one down the stairs in the mornings. Her outfit with accessories were always laid out the night before and tended to her familiar. Who glides off her shoulder with flutter of he large wings to rest on highest point of the kitchen and watch everything take place. She would end up being greeted by the house guest when she took the back stairs wanting to get away from their noise. Appearance of his leaning up into chair with earthware tea set lay near by as he sipped from one of the tea cups. Already dressed for whatever outing he had planned this day from his laced boots to his buttons waistcoat.

"Morning." Kilping offered her the second cup.

"..." She just stood her ground.

Was in this silence between them that foots steps behind Juliana on bottom steps of that staircase had her turning around. Her eyes would look upon someone saying things hadn't changed since he got arrived late night and was greeted by Cant. Not that he was surprised a farm animal was guarding the back door was a shocking change he was glad to have survived. Just glad to be back home after so long that ended with Juliana blind sighting with a in- human screeching. Before he got glomped by her as she spoke a word a second about how she should awake to greet him. Going on about a missed opportunity to welcome her brother back home with a party she could have gotten Narseh to host. Would soon be dismissed when she was asked to get off her brother before she completely crushed his chest. She would apologize before bouncing off her brother and pulling him back onto his feet asking about going to the Rowdy Raven.

Had them stopping far enough apart from each other to come to that decision with Juliana waiting patiently by the backdoor. She already had her shawl and shoulder bag on her person teetering back and fourth on her sandal clad feet. Seemed to want leave no more what was decided between the two of them when their eyes looked upon her for an answer. Soon to be joined by her brother and Kipling with one towing the other to his sister's side by single held hand. They would end up separating to take their coats from her with one opening the door for her to be first one to stepped out. Had eh making sure to wait for her familiar to fly back on to her shoulder with flicker of large wings.

"Isn't that a Attacus atlas month?" Her brother asked looking at the species of insect. "How did you come by this rare species?"

"He was brought back to me as a single egg." She recalled single leaf that held his egg. "From one of her and dad's travels."

Her brother grew silent for the rest of their long walk to what had become their family's favorite hang out for a drink and socialize. A seedy tavern in a shadier part of the city, that both the children of Julian Devorak knew by heart form a young age. Where the barkeep that poured the drinks to the regulars that these drinks were delivered. Knew their faces by heart despite being wary of the Palace Gaurds that pass the entrance when doing patrols.

Left her and Kipling to quietly talk among them selves about where they were going tomorrow in Vesuvia to explore together. Being that Juliana had taken upon showing Vesuvia to Kipling upon herself as form of bonding and finding out about his mother. The places that came up that Kipling was interested of late was the temple distract and the the illegal Red Market. The freedom for one to investigate religion freely in many place of worship reminded him of home. Way his parents mixed together their different religious beliefs under one roof when he grew up. Chance to look around a place where one could find prohibited and bootleg wares got his spine tingling. Since he was in the market to purchase a new blade after leaving behind his sword at home for personal reasons. Would be granted by Juliana since she been to those places within the 16 years living in Vesuvia.

"Your think that one black-market animal dealer still there?" Her brother spoke up.

"Is Julius Devorak becoming interested in owing a pet?" Juliana teased her brother.

"You're joining us?" Kipling asked back.

They all ended up laughing in the wee hours of the morning before the sun was to rise as they took a familiar path. Not caring about the eyes that saw the daughter of Vesuvia famous doctor and Magician walking with strange boys. One that carried the air the of a foreign gentleman from the way he acted toward her with kind hand and dressed. Other was a redhead with a rough style and relaxed matter all his own while only addressing her when she was acknowledge. Would start a stream of rumor after rumor that traveled from the mouths of people awake at this time of night. To ears of people stepped outside their homes after the run has risen and started their day by doing errands. Would pass this on to their friends that made deliveries to the Palace and told the servants that made them weary. Since they would go on their day until breakfast was to be served to Countess and her wife as their children attended. Where Countess eldest son known for his tall height and long hair that was colored blond with tanned skin. Would end up bending his fork when the rumors about love interest being counted by these stranger boys angried him.

Back on to the table he would place his fork by pounding the wooden surface and not noticing the dishware become knocked over. The servants that were serving his mothers would end up backing away from them as his sister was amused. Since she had to watched the Countess ask her son why the sudden emotional outburst at this time of the morning. Trying her best to keep her composure with her child knowing he usually wasn't like this when eating with them. To have him suddenly react to whatever new gossip was being spread through Vesuvia had her worried. His answer came in the form of Portia leaning over and whispering into her ear about someone being quite popular at the moment. Blush that appeared on Countess' cheeks over two boys being seen with Portia's niece and heading to the Rowdy Raven.

"May I be excused?" He would come to ask before his sister could drag out the rumor.

"As long as you are home by night fall, or I'll come looking for you." Portia warned him.

He bowed out from everyone as quickly as he could when pulled away from table and completely forgetting about his meal. Getting up from the chair he chose to seat on and scooting it back under the table's edge before calling to his male Saluki. Who was sitting off to the side, on these large cushions after clearing out his food bowl a servant laid down for him.

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Jewel wasn't excepting a visit from a member of the royal family in the shop at this time of morning, when she was about to go forging. All she could do was invite him and ask what the problem that brought him to her doorstep without Portia. He sighed while removing the worn scarf he always wore to hide his noticeable facial features from eyes of the people. Wanting to know if Juliana was receiving any visitors this morning since he was worried she hadn't returned home. What he got was a laughing noise traveling from the back room followed by rushing footsteps heading their way.

"You get what you need with her in since she plans to go forging with me." Jewel would end up advising him.

Jewel would end up walking pass him to look over her list of herbs she needed to hand pick in the forest. Knowing his attention would be drawn away from her retreating from to the ones that was entering the shop's front. In the form of happy Juliana pulling forward one of the boys he heard about through the grapevine. Accept this one looked familiar to him some how from he styled is Dark Umber hair to clarity of his eyes.

"Narseh!" Juliana stopped in place. "Julius look who came to welcome you back!"

"Long time no see." Julius would wave to Narseh.

"If your were one of the two strangers from last night?" Narseh asked him self. "Who was the other guy?"

"My lover." Julius figured Narseh was talking about Kipling.

Led to the long story of Juliana's odd habit of waiting at the East Docks for a Galleon with her brother on it to arrive. How she become known to the docks workers and others as the weird girl with the tarot cards. Telling one fortune for a set price or reading one's palm for a fee that always left her coin purse full.

"How I met Kipling and we gained a new family member." She cheered.

"Then I came back unannounced." Julius yawned.

"Still lack a decent amount of sleep?" Narseh couldn't believe Julius hadn't grown out of that bad habit.

Julius would only make his yawn go on while stating they got back late from The Rowdy Raven after getting lost in the atmosphere. Between the free drinks from the patrons for congratulating Julius on his return to Vesuvia. Many a barmaid that passed him their version of a seductive eye to get him to try and follow them out back. He wasn't given time to crawl into bed and catch up on some much needed sleep after the long trip to get back home.

"Juliana, leave your brother alone." Jewel could see her son wasn't up for forging. "Let your poor brother get some sleep."

"I want him with us." Juliana pouts letting go of his arm.

"Once I am rested up and ready to go into the woods." Julius smiled toward his sister. "I'll go with you and mom."

Juliana could only hug her brother rather tightly as her form of a hug before splitting off from him with her hands behind her. Making sure to stop near Narseh and stand on her top toes to be able to place a kiss on the side of his lips. Before she pulled away and missed the young royal blush as red as a apple when he placed a hand on the kissed side.

"Lets go mom." Juliana adjusted her shawl.

Jewel called out to the rest, she and Juliana were leaving to go gather herbs from the forest North- West of the city. Mostly re- stock he storage jars that Jewel kept on the selves that were found behind the front desk of her shop on first floor. Contains inside were low and needed to be refilled after the countless patients she and Julian had treated the past week.

"Be careful out there!" Julian called back to her.

"A proper meal would be ready fort you all upon your return." Kipling spoke from the kitchen.

Hearing Kipling's voice made Narseh's dog start to bark rather loudly from his side and drew attention from Narseh to him. Juliana would end up gushing at the Saluki as if she was seeing him for the first time before following her mother out the front door. Once the door was closed behind the two and Saluki stopped barking when Julius kneeled down.

"Seems you pick up your father's passion for animals." Julius meant the Saluki.

"Actually he was a gift to my mother from a visiting ambassador to strength political relations." Narseh singled to his Saluki. "Mom gave him to me, to teach me responsibility."

"He got a name?" Julius asked waiting to be acknowledged by him.

"After my sister's last sexual conquest." Narseh sighed. "Kannada."

Julius could only laugh at a habit that Narseh's sister hadn't grown out of after she went through the early stages of puberty. How she started to use her new form features as a blooming women to seduce man she deemed worthy of her time. From the settle way she showed her off her natural s- shape she had to the view of her cleavage she showed off. Always left her to get want she wanted and some how developed quite a pallet for varies wines that were made in Vesuvia.

"She sink her claws into former Consul Valerius?" Julius asked reaching out to ward Kannada.

"No, since she just started her play with him." Narseh sighed. "i fear he may not fall for her whims."

Kannada would happily step forward with his tail wagging to get close to start nuzzling someone his master was alright with. Julius would end up stroking his fur one until Kipling called from the kitchen breakfast was ready to eat and Juilan was being a pest. To the back all three of them were go to find Julian sitting right next to Kipling sipping his cup of coffee. Bothering the young man about when he was going to make a honest young man out of his son and give him grandchildren.

"Dad!" Julius shouts at Julian. "You do know that two man having children is biologically impossible."

"Never say never." Julian corrects his son. "Me and your mother beat the odds... twice."

Talking about time that Jewel painfully went through twice was still hard for Julian to take about since the pregnancy was painful for her. Severe abdominal pain to her lower torso beyond third month when she first got pregnant with Julius. Mixed with lightheadedness and discomfort while urinating had them worried they would lose their first. Left Jewel bed ridden until she gave birth and recovered from bringing their son into the world with Julian by her side. Would only get worst when Jewel got pregnant once more with their daughter and lost to much blood during her second birth. How she recovered from that without falling unconsciousness when pushing a crying a girl into the world.

"Have you ever checked to see if your father is the clinical definition of crazy?" Narseh asked Julius.

"No, since my mom trusts him enough to have a friendship with him." Julius though his father was hopeless.

"How is dear countess doing?" Julian would shift his attention to Narseh.

"Busy." Narseh wouldn't meet Julian's eyes.

Juliana would end up telling Narseh to call him uncle since his dear sister was properly married to the Countess years before Narseh and his sister's birth. Meant the Countess was officially family and Julian was Narseh's uncle from that connection. Just Narseh had never come to once call Julian his uncle and was never going to start with this nut job.

"I would like to join your all for breakfast." Narseh looked right a apron clad Kipling.

"Fine, since cooking is one of his best talents." Julius would pull a chair out.

"What a wonderful skill for my future son- in- law to have." Julian was all a buzz.

Kipling would arise from his seat to start dishing out food for everyone while leaving Julius to handle his father for the rest of their meal. Kannada would be given a mixture of cooked table scraps for snack on retiring to a blanket in corner of the room. Narseh would pour himself a cup of tea from the cups that were already set out and steam hot tea pot. Watching father and son have yet pointless argument about the family expending while Kipling laid a plate before him.


	3. Chapter 3

While visiting the illegal Red Market, that was located under the Coliseum one could access through the by a hidden hatch. A certain caged bird in one of the vendor's booths caught his eyes and had him interested in purchasing for a price. Left him to stroll up to this person and start haggling for a certain coin price until they met at certain amount. That ended with him carrying a medium sized cage all the way from underground markets without single inch of help. To back doorstep of his family's shop where his family's pet chicken would greet him with a few clucks while following him.

"Got your guys a new friend." Julius held up the cage.

Inside was a female albino crow just sitting on the swing perch just looking out at the birds that were currently watching her. She stayed quiet the whole time she was being transported to away from dark place one one lots of sun shine.

"Lets see if your want to stretch your wings?" Julius asked her.

He would up balancing the her cage with in his arms before one of his hands reached toward the small latch on the side. Once he got a good hold with his fingertips and pushed upward with what strength he co uld mange without dropping her, or the cage. She would gracefully fly out of the enclosure that had been her home since she was taken from her home. Allowing her wings to open up and be embrace by the wind that smelled of the sea as she flew high. Looking at what she deemed to be her home to the many rooftops of the buildings that were located around this one. What caught her eye was a large all-black passerine bird with a 4.9 ft. wingspan seating on a window's ledge. Where she would land just a few feet to look upon what she hoped would be her new friend as he she folds her wings.

"Malak meet Duchovny, Duchovny meet Malak." Julius would introduce them.

Awkward stare that one would give the other and any reaction afterward wouldn't be witnessed since backdoor would swing open. Standing there would be Juliana wearing a apron with a small carving tool in one hand and spindle in the other. Her expression was between that of being angry at her brother for being late and curious about about the cage. Up went one of her eyebrows at the sight of her brother just standing there with a opened cage in. Awaiting an answer from him about why he didn't come back on time and where he been while she was working with everyone.

"Well?" She asked stare at him.

"Look up and you'll understand." He nods toward where Malak's new friend sat.

Juliana just shrugged at what her brother pointed her toward before turning around and walking back into the kitchen. Shouting that Julius was back and he purchased a new pet for the shop in the form of an female albino crow that liked Malak. Before she made her way toward a occupied table where a busy Jewel could be found near a drying rank. Countless cylinder shaped candles hung from a multiply selves as their layers of wax cooled after being dipped repeatedly. Smelled of herbs and oils mixed with heated beeswax filled the shop with a rather odd scent that Julius knew. Closing the back door and putting the cage down to clear out his hands to take bag hanging resting on his shoulder off. Stating he bought everything on his mother's list and would have come back to help out if wasn't for the sight of Duchovny.

"Nothing wrong with one more." Jewel checked hang another candle. "Since she already taken a liking to our friendly neighborhood raven."

"This whole candle making process in quite fun." Kipling was in front of the stove.

The pots that Jewel used for her scented candles were filled with the heated wax that was currently being used by them. Each one held a single colored wax that was made with dye that Jewel melted and mixed with herbs and oils. Would be used to make new product to the family shop that Jewel started when her children were young enough to walk.

"You can take a seat at the table with your sister to carve the candles into their shape or help me and Kipling?" Jewel asked her son.

"...and dad?" Julius asked about his father.

Jewel would point out he was manning the front of the shop since he didn't have any rounds to make or patients coming in. He had a few house calls to check in with some that had a a minor head cold or their allergies flaring up. That morning way after the sun rose and Jewel was running around the kitchen doing one of her shop related projects.

"Hmmmm..." Julius lightly hummed looking over what lay on the table.

The candles that were dried enough would be carved into with stunningly unique swirls and spirals to form a interlocking design. Would be carefully placed to dry with many others before being placed in a crate filled with straw and fabric scraps.

"Filling a massive order are we?" Julius asked about addressed on the crate's outer surface.

"Countess wants to use our candles for this year's Masquerade." Juliana screeched.

She then came running passed her brother to drop the craving tool she was using to pick up the hand written letter from Nadia. Usually greetings from the Countess could be found at the beginning followed by her making a sizable request. Asking them to make a large number of hand carved candles for the yearly celebration that always happen.

"Isn't this amazing?" Juliana screeched waving the letter around.

"When are they coming to pick this up and how many have we had done?" Julius asked trying to believe all this.

"We're almost done." Jewel hangs another candle.

"We've been doing this since last night." Kipling was handed a spindle by Juliana.

Jewel would only nod her head and speak about this was their last crate to be filled with what they were currently making. How this fun activity was becoming a bonding moment for all of them that she would like to repeat with all of them. Being that each one of them had a task in the process to Kipling stating out with a single wink in dipping to build up layers. To Jewel hanging each one up to dry on a made shift rack using chairs and a few sticks with bits of strings. Juliana taking those candles off the these shelves and curving into smooth wax surface to create works of temporary art.

"I'll go empty go out this bag before I decide anything." Julius remembered what he was sent out to do.

To the front of the first floor he would he would go, finding his father playing around with Kipling's hand carved figurines. Pieces of wooden that have been whittle by knife's edge into animals of all kinds by hands belonging to their house guest. Caught Jewel's attention one day when she watched Kipling shape a long of fire wood. She would end up deciding to sell them within her shop as part of the everyday merchandise. Julian was caught playing with by his son when he laid a full bag on the counter.

"Done amusing your self you big baby?" Julius asked looked at the way his father arranged the wooden animals.

"A woo woo. A wagga wagga." Julian answered his son.

Julius shrugged off his capelet coat and gloves with mumbles under his breaths about his father completely hopeless as a adult. Had Julian smiling like a goof as he rests his chin on his hand stating how Jewel loved the child- like behavior. About to describe that last night got him to their bed as a form of punishment for such behavior and ridden like a horse. Not once were his wrists unbond or two hours while Jewel had her way with him until he was left thoroughly sore by her. Then she let him go with his hips and legs feeling they had been reduced to the consistency of gelly.

"To Much Information." Julius flipped open the bag's flap.

"...was that to much information that brought you and you dear sister into this world." Julian corrected his own son.

Julius decided to busy him self with unloading the varies things he had to buy for his mother within the illegal market. Herbs one couldn't find within the dark forest or from varies vendors within the large shopping center. Besides essential oils for her magic and ingredients for their medicinal wine that Jewel was still trying to perfect. A few were imported items one that were sold anywhere in Vesuvia like ink blocks from island country from the East.

"Seems the usual." Julian looked over what now covered the front counter.

His eyes stopped over one of the bottles of essential oil made from a sweet root vegetable that put a smirk on his face. He slowly slide a hand toward hoping to snatch away and hide for later use that night when all were turning in for the night. End up having his hand stopped by something with eight legs and covered in peach fuzz all over her body. Had him looking from the shelf behind him to down where he would find his wife's poecilotheria metallica resting. On his hand just a few inches from the essential oil with those eight eyes just staring up at him in a curious matter.

"Mom allowed me to take her furry blue friend with her." Julius spoke of Tarantula staring at his father.

"I always forget this little bugger was her familiar." Julian just stared at her.

"I always wondered why she never had a name." Julius would reveal why Jewel never gave the poecilotheria metallica one.

"That is yet another mystery that makes me more attracted to her." Julian humbly posed.

Got him a head nod from his son Julius who would end up going over the list he had crumbled in one of the pockets of his person. Smoothing out piece of paper to read what wad written on the surface to sort everything out would take place. Making putting what he got away more easier for him while his father had a staring contest with a female Tarantula. Distracting the man from his son clearing off the front counter by putting everything in there place. Stuff that had to be stored in the kitchen would be scooped up and after he got his capelet coat and gloves. All tucked into one arms as he used the other to reach out to the female Tarantula and offer her a ride. She would accept to leave Julian once more alone in the front end of the shop.

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Juliana was in the back of her family's shop tending to the garden her mother had long sense plants with foreign produce. On her knees with a straw mat under her bare legs with a basket beside her as she plucked one vegetable after another. Kipling and Julius sat near by an opened back door with one hand washing his sister had picked so far. Water heated from the stove and soft bristled brush to wash away the dirt that still lingered on the vegetables surface. He made sure to not scrub to hard since the skin break and insides would spill all over his hands holding the brush. Kipling was to busy with once more just whittling away at the left over chucks of fire wood to small to be burned. Making Everyone's pet or familiar to pass the time until the chore that Juliana was doing was done.

"You still have those strange dreams?" Julius would bring up that odd subject.

"This is a firs ti heard of this." Kipling stopped whittling.

Juliana sighed and dusted off her hands to speak about a sore conversation topic that her family though she got over. Explaining since she hit puberty, she's started have these strange dreams centered around a deck of tarot cards her mother owns. Very first dream she ended up meeting the Queen of Wands wrapped around a stick with five leaves. Reminded her of a snake she knew in real life and left her to seek out someone that her mother once lived with. Who now lived within the Palace along side his parents and still helping them in the re- building process of Vesuvia. Visiting him to look up his lavender colored python resting on his shoulders before she got much needed questions answered.

"Everything else after that was hazy at best." She sighs.

"Meaning?" Kipling looked between them.

"She hasn't been able to make out the other images from the dream afterward." Jewel joined them.

"I have been able to made out recent ones having to do with knight of swords, King of Swords, Nine of Cups, and Knight of Pentacles." She dug four lines in the soil.

She spoke about not knowing their connection to the people around her since her dream always came out distorted around their identities. Left her to give up on that puzzle when the pieces weren't coming together no matter how hard she tried.

"That can be rather strange." Kipling folds his knife's blade.

When tucking his knife back into the inner pocket of his waist coat, Juliana blinked twice when Juliana turned her head to look at him. Saw a horned dragon with his wings rested at his sides in a rick black coloring one could mistake for the sky.

"Sweetie!" Jewel called to her.

"Jul!" Julius worriedly addressed her.

"King of Swords!" She whispered.

Kipling froze in place when she said that not understanding what she meant with her Julius looking to their mother for an answer. Would be granted she asked of them to come in since the story she was about to weave was going to be long one. She would up calling to Julian to lock up and switch the sign from open to close for needing his side of the story. Up off the ground Juliana would go taking the straw mat and half filled basket within her arms hurrying to the back door. Stopping when Kipling stepped to the side for her to be the first one inside or to enter after her brother.

"Something wrong?" Kipling sensed something wrong. "This about this morning..."

He knew walking in on her in the washroom that early that morning to empty one's bowels was going to bite him later that day. He just never knew this moment was when she would unable to look him in the eye with out remembering that. What he thought when she just stood there ans stared him in a frozen state unable to properly move inside.

"What this about seeing my sister naked?" Julius asked leaning backwards in backdoor.

"Julius!" Juliana yelled at him.

Before he could give her a answer about possbily seducing Kipling that morning or him accidentally seeing her in the nude. A coughing noise that was loud enough to turn their heads towards one of their guests in the form of a casually dressed Narseh. Who stood a few feet away from the door while a few guard were taking the candle filled crates out the front.

"May I ask what this seeing Miss. Juliana is all about?" Narseh asked rather cross.

"We were getting to that." Julius looked at his sister and Kipling.

Juliana was about to open her mouth to tell everyone what Kipling did was pure accident at early hour when everyone was still asleep. Would be stopped by Kipling taking over the conversation, stating he had no knowledge of her in the washroom. At the time he walked in her in the middle of loathing her unclothed form with made shift soap made by her mother. He only had one thought on his mind and that was to use the water closet before he went number two in his pants.

"That's all?" Julius asked looking between the two.

"YES!" Kipling and Juliana yelled.

Inside the two went with Juliana pushing her aside and Kipling slamming the door closed behind so hard that Jewel and Julian heard. From their place in the front of shop taking payment for the candles and getting their invitation to the Masquerade. That had Jewel holding the envelope to her chest to cherish the memories of long ago for her and Julian. One where she and Julian first attended the Masquerade as a pair, from when they picked their costumes to table dancing.

"We thinking of something naughty?" Julian whispered into her ear.

"..." Jewel nods her head back and fourth.

" We thinking of something dirty to do once the kids go to sleep?" He asked again wiggling his eyes brows.

"..." Jewel nods her head back and fourth again.

She ended up slightly turning her head with her free hand to reach out and place her fingers inside open section Julian's shirt. Places her fingers within that thick chest hair like intimate action was the first time she combed her fingers in his dense patch. Slowly running her fingertips through those pubes with her eyes lost in memories of their dancing, and him playing the vielle.

"...Jewel..." Julian could feel his knees weakening.

"I was remembering you in those black feathers and hand crafted mask." She barely mumbled her answer. "Your smile as we danced."

She ended up backing him into the front counter to the point he ended up getting pinned by her without much of an escape. Not that he wanted to run away with her fingers caught up in his exposed hair of his chest and the expression on his face. He would give him and wrap one arm around her waist with the other reaching up to cup her face. Describing the white and gold she wore in the form of her Masquerade outfit that made her look her a new born dove.


	4. Chapter 4

To handle Narseh's new found jealousy toward Kipling after he caught the tail end of the conversation between her, her brother, and Kipling. Something about Kipling seeing her in unclothed form within washroom during morning hours. Juliana invited Narseh to meet her within The Plaza on the eve of midnight on a weekend night. Which he do just to be alone with her without members of their families around and dressed as casually had he could, so attention wouldn't be drawn to him. When she appeared at said meeting place with where they were going for rest of the night without question.

"The Rowdy Raven?" Narseh questioningly repeated what she said.

What he got was a simple nod of her head instead of using actually words to answer him as she held his hand the whole walk. Stopping a few times to take in the sights of the city from the way the stars looked in the darken sky. Those twinkling lights laid out within a blacken of black and blue above their heads with milky white sphere drifting around. Had him asking her, if she ever seen such a sight on deck of Grandmother Mazelinka's boat during her parent's travels. What he got was another head nod before they would start walking again toward the entrance a seedy tavern.

"You first?" He offered for her to go first through the entrance.

He ended up being pulled along with her instead of her letting go of the hand she was currently holding on too. He wouldn't stop once following when they stepped beyond the door into a place one was comfortable in. Eyes of Vesuvia underworld watching the heir apparent to the city being guided by regular to this place. Bartender would nod at Julaina when she pointed to what was her family's usual table when they came here.

"Take a seat." She would tell Narseh while remove her scarf form her head. "They will bring us something to drink."

"We could met at the Palace and talked." He'd reached out.

Once he grasped the back of a chair to pull from the table and tried to offer her to be the firs to seat down. He would get a head nod form her and told to be the one to seat down as she wanted to make a point with him. He would tuck the chair back under the table not wanting to do so until he heard what she said.

"I noticed since my 16th birthday... a change took place with you." She spoke of how he felt toward her for some time. "May I ask does this have to do with your feelings of affection toward me?"

"Your talking about what my sister thinks is a phrase for me." He would recall Nessaea's words.

"A silly crush on daughter of a Fugitive Doctor." She spoke Nessaea's words excellently.

He could ask her about how she knew what his sister had to say about his romantic notions toward her of late. To be reminded of her Prophetic Dreaming in which she could see certain events through her dreams. That she once demonstrated on his 10th birthday when he asked about what gifts did he get from his grandparents. She told him in detail what he got and how the item would be wrapped or where he could find it.

"Forgot you could do that." He always thought that was her best feature.

"Only the little things." She hatred that detail.

He would end up sighing with one his hands sliding through end of his ponytail he had styled his hair this night. Slamming his hands on the either side of the tucked in chair with a loud thud upon the table's surface while slowly lifting his head. Not caring about the attention was drawn to them when redness of his irises made directed contact with hers. Watching the heaving of her chest to the way her throat move when she took a air through her nostrils were observed.

"Juliana Padmavati Devorak, Daughter of a Nevivon Fugitive Doctor and a Vesuvian Magician..." Narseh summoned up his as much courage as he could. "You have captured my heart after years of growing beside you as a friend. Will your please accept my feeling of love toward you?"

"Yes." She bluntly said. "Took you long enough to confess."

Narseh could only smile when he would stand up from his seat stating if she knew about his feeling of adoration toward her. She shrugged stating she inherited her father's need a dramatic confession in a place she was most comfortable. Since she didn't want to anyone at her home to make a big deal about his acknowledgment toward her. This was best place she could think for the two of them to talk was within this tavern her father always brought her.

"Now can you seat down?" She would ask again pointing to his seat.

"Only if your seat down?" He would ask her in turn.

She sighed and knew he wasn't going to do what she asked until she ended up doing accepting his gentlemanly gesture. The two would be interrupted when two mugs were slammed on the table's edge followed by suggestion they could be quiet. Juliana agree would take place and payment could be placed on her father's tab before they were left alone.

"Alright I'll seat down first." Narseh would took the hint.

When he was pulling out the chair fair enough with one of his hands as other laid upon the table when he sat down. He looked up assume that Juliana had taken the seat across or beside him and started to drink from of the mugs on the table. Unable to find the actual person that was standing him since her scarf was the only thing on one of the chair. Left him about to get up and ask the nearest patron what had happen to her when he felt something reach for his lap. Down he looked to find tussle of reddish brown hair and flash of Light Blue colored eyes under the table he occupied.

"What are you doing?" He asked in his lowest voice.

"I always wanted to do something like this." She whispered. "Father once told him about mother doing this to him."

"By sucking me off under the table?" Narseh couldn't help but be entertained at her idea.

Back his seat he would lean to accommodate what she wanted to do by spreading his legs to make room for her. When felt let fingers tips making quick work of sash that was tied around his belt to secure his pants. How she massaged inner most parts of his thighs through material of his pants when she worked up. Carefully tied knot with her fingertips by taking her time to trance contours of his flexing muscles. That would come loose in a one tug and allow her reach up with one of her hands to forming bulge. Cupping and slowly rubbing the hardening dick within her palm as her other hand slides toward his pants' waistband.

"Want anything in particular?" She whispered her question.

"Just that elegant pink tongue taking tasting me." He would come to close his eyes. "Your hands kneading me into a..."

He had to bite into his lower lip to fight back a moan when he could feel her hands working him out of his undergarment and then his pants. Cold air of the tavern wrapped around his heated corpus cavernosum slowly extending with small hands. View of her she tilting her head ever so slowly to the side to place a simple kiss to the side of him. Sharp intake of breath of much needed air into his lungs from that sensation of those moist lips left his head spinning. Got worst when she brought her tongue out from those lips and started to lick her way to his very tip of his prepuce.

"Julee!" Narseh could be feel his balls on verge of tightening. "I am... coming...would like..."

She under stood what he was trying to tell her by sliding her mouth over his swollen head in a bobbing motion. Slowly working his sizable member into the depths of her throat once she hollowed out her cheeks and got passed her gag reflex. Taking her time to cover him completely with her mouth further work him. Going back to licking the underside with long drawn out to small a tentative swipe on him. Her hands lazily found their way to where his base met a thick patch of hair the color of morning sun's ray. Where she would dig just the the tips of her nails into the skin where roots of that hair lay.

"Julee! ...I... " He eyes flew open when he felt the pressure.

Until one hand carefully held the back of her head to steady her while other rested on one of her shoulders when he lurched forward. His teeth clenched when he spilled his load entirely into her mouth spurt by spurt as she swallowed whole. She pulled away from him with a mixture of her saliva and his own fluids dripping from her chin with her heavily breathing. Her hands came to lay at her sides with steams of her magic unraveling from her tips of one of her fingers. Gliding across the floor to chair where her head scarf would be snagged from it's resting place and dragged to her hand. Grasped by her fingers and lifted to her face to wipe away salty flavor mixing with watery liquid secreted from her mouth.

Narseh made quick work tucking himself back into his undergarment and his pants catching his breath along the way. Straightening him self out before he reached out a hand to help Juliana out from under the table into his lap to seat. She would have the scarf pulled from her face to see the hidden smile that reflected his own when the gazed into other eyes.

"Great way to start off a relationship." He happily huff.

"You want to start out how my parents met?" She asked him with a eye roll.

"How about mine?" He remembered the story.

Two knew the tales of how the other's parents met since they were when they were told as children . Juliana would come ask her mother, if her father ever got brain damage from being hit with a glass bottle by mommy in her shop. Narseh would come to wonder why someone would need to be drunk or past intoxicated to ask one another to get married.

"We ever get around to asking each other to marry..." She pointed from her to him.

"No getting drunk when I pop the question?" He asked with a raised eye brow.

"I promise not to hit you with a bottle." She answered.

This earned her a kiss on the side of her lips by him as their mugs were pulled his side by her streams of her magic. Was a suggestion he could end up taking around moving around in his seat to adjust his sash. That would be end up being tied around his waist like before with some help from Juliana.

"Can you..." She would have hard time asking. "...like sleep over..."

"Yes, since I already informed the Palace I wouldn't be home." He assured her. "We can leave for your home any time."

Her smile was all he needed to see on her before she was allowed to pull a chair closer to his own use her magic streams. Being allowed to leave his lap and take her seat in the chair with him leaning toward the tables, taking hold of their drinks, and passing her drink to her. Topic of conversation that came up what the either would wear for the Masquerade. Julian would reach toward her cleavage to pull out a folded piece of paper she had placed there that morning. She would allow to unfold corner by corner using her magical streams before torn sides with scribble on the surface.

"A list." He noticed the formation which everything was written.

"Just ideas of what to dress as..." She first few sips of her drink had her in mild disgust of who would drink this.

"I think I have been given a idea of what to wear." He looked over the scribble. "Who you took after when it comes to hand witting?"

Juliana would go on how people out side her family always gave her compliments about her neat and liable hand writing. Compared to her brother, whose own was in middle of her father's unreadable writing and her mother's form of short hand.

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Kipling with help of Grandmother Mazelinka tried to find a suitable place within re- constructed section of the city. Either the building had a existing issue that needed extensive work or the structure didn't mean his standards. Left him to hang around the small place that Grandmother Mazelinka called her own.

"I hear you have Vesuvian blood in your veins from your mother." Mazelinka brought up Kipling's linage.

"Yes, my mother and her side of the family left Vesuvia when plague started." He recalls the tale. "Relocated to my father's city and settled there, To only expend when my mother met and fell in love with my father. I was soon born of their wedded bliss and grew up on stories of Vesuvia from her side an her as bed time stories."

"What do you think of your mother's homeland?" Mazelinka asked rather curious.

Kipling couldn't put to words of a place he mother painted through stories of what Vesuvia was like before the plague. Bustling streets and back allies filled with life of the people going on their daily lives each day. Colorful stalls and booths one could find within the large shopping center with various businesses from all already. A temple distract was where of many different faiths reside and people are free to practice different cultures, or spiritual practices. Were among one many places that he come to admire about this city-state built into a cliff.

"Does your mother and her family ever want to come back?" Mazelinka asked.

"Regretively, no." He sorrowfully spoke. "Some died in natural causes and others in accidents."

He took a moment to reach for a small and framed painting he kept tucked away in inner pocket of his waist coat. Would come to be laid on the table for Mazelinka to gaze upon his parents as he sighed before explaining. His mother had become bed ridden a few months before he planned to leave for Vesuvia and secretly sleeping with Julius.

"Last time I saw her was when she encouraged me to come back to her homeland with her blessing." He rested his face upon his hand.

"She most be proud of you." Mazelinka reached out with her own hands to hand hold of his own.

He would have gone on about how her smile being the last thing he saw when he bored the Galleon in through the front burst Julian. Arms raised above his head while he stood in middle of the room with front door wide open and smiling. Head moved to the side just enough he was staring at Mazelinka and Kipling at the table having a moment.

"May we come in now?" Jewel would ask standing outside the opened entrance. "Maybe inquire about where to have lunch."

"Yes, come on in." Mazelinka completely ignored Julian blocking her line of sight. "I am making stew."

In Jewel would walk with filled basket on her arm as other would grasp the knob of the door and swing it closed. Greeting Kipling and asking if he found a suitable place to call his own as she attempted to walk around Julian. To only have him hook an arm around her waist and ask when he become chopped liver. She sighed and went on ignoring him to a wait Kipling's answer to her question to finding a home.

"Seems I'll be staying with you all a little bit longer." He tried to put on his best smile without succumbing to a snicker.

"We have grown to like having you with in our home." Julian would answer for Jewel. "Your noises of robust your love making with her son gives us hopes of grandchild some day."

"I thought we discussed to keep that bit of information between us." Jewel leered at Julian.

Julian went on to speak about the joys of being a grandfather toward grandchild he could pass on his knowledge. More little feet running around their shop at all hours of the day while nighttime was filled with stories of legends. Sweeping Jewel off her feet as he further added describe one had to have his dear Jewel's boundless chestnut curls and fare peach skin. Maybe he's Grey eyes mixed in with his long, thin nose and moderately thin lips to boot.

"We're haven't even become official to everyone." Kipling knew he and Julius were still a secret. "Let alone talk about children."

"Hurry!" Julian stopped in place with Jewel still in his arms. "I wait for the day of little feet running toward him."

"That is not a chose for you to make." Jewel and Mazelinka remind Julian.

Regretfully Julian would return Jewel to her feet with his dreams about becoming a grandfather dashed before his eyes. To be put at ease when he was given a kiss to the side of his mouth by Jewel as a reminder they did have one more. He could beg to give him at least few little feet to run around him if he nagged her enough to confess to Narseh. Placed his signature smile upon his face before leaning down toward his loving wife and returning the kiss ten fold.

"This is why I love you." He whispered for her to only hear.

"I thought that it had to be, that I was only woman, besides your sister, that could tolerate you." She joked.

"You hurt me so." He took one of her hands and looked into her eyes. "Want to ease my pain?"

They were broken up when Mazelinka's placed a wooden spoon between their mouths and remind them where they were.


	5. Chapter 5

Juliana was in the attic of her family's shop digging for her father's old medical texts when she started studying. Julian couldn't stop crying over how his little girl was growing up and wanting to be trained as a nurse. Didn't get her any where she wanted to be as Jewel reminded her this was how he expressed his joy. Julius and Kipling were ready to help her any way they could after making their offer as Narseh had news. His Aunt Nazali or Julian's former mentor was also willing to help her in her journey to this new dream.

Until then, she was learning on her own by borrowing books from the Palace's library whenever she visited Narseh. Hanging out in his book to end the endless pages her eyes would absorb like a sponge when he wasn't around. Taking the risk to go down into the dungeon where her father's old office lay. Sitting down on the chair and reading over books he kept on his desk until found by a Portia, Narseh, or a Palace Guard. Assisting her father or brother in the clinic during the basis of procedures with great interest. Sometimes even partaking in one after watching one of them a few times to learn what to do. Times she went on house calls with her father or brother that she called real hands on experience.

"What the..." She came across something.

"Julee!" Someone called for her.

"Up here and watch your step!" She called back.

Her Attacus atlas moth would fly from his resting place on one of the rafters to outside the entrance of the attic. Fluttering his wings when he took in the sight of a visiting Narseh with a crate of books in his arms. Sight of the large mouth told Narseh all he needed to know and would walk up the small ladder. Into the space where Juliana was found looking at the strangest of clothes folded up and placed in a chest. They smelled of dried peppermint leaves and had bits of that leave on the clothes she held.

"What are to looking at?" Narseh asked putting the small crate down.

"I was looking for my dad's old medical books and came across theses." She held up the what she found.

Jacket had a blacken feathers on the collar and tailcoats with gold features that made her wonder who this belonged. Narseh would kneel beside her blinking a few times before looking further into the chest to find more. Dress pants and red cravat folded around within a dress shirt had his guessing they went with the jacket.

"I think this costume was worn by your father for a Masquerade celebration." He asked noticing the feathers. "Once."

"Explains a lot." Juliana set the jacket down.

Her eyes lit up when she reached in to the chest and found a flowing white gown with silver accents and a winged mask. Set of sandals with a yellow straps and elbow length, finger less gloves were wrapped up in the skirt. Matching pieces of silver jewelry with sapphires embedded in them shined like new born star. Narseh guessed this one most have been her mother's costume from when she attended.

"I wish I knew what they looked like dancing as they wore these." Juliana brought the gown to her chest and hummed.

"You know we could always ask our parents." Narseh would come to remind her.

This earned him a kiss that caught him off guard and to his surprise a bit of tongue to be added from her angle. Leaving him quite dazed when she pulled away and fold what she found back into the chest I careful of matter. Stating She had her own costume ideas and didn't want to write over her parents' memories. Would someday come to ask her parents about their time in attending the Masquerade as a pair.

"Why are you here?" She would come to ask him. "I thought you were visiting with your aunts."

"I was excused to come drop these off." He pointed toward the crate. "Aunt Nazali wanted me to deliver these."

Juliana would be careful in closing the chest to look upon the small wooden box filled with newest medical texts. All collected and gathered by Nazali from their world travels of late since last time they visited. Would being presented to her by Narseh as his way to contributing her choice in wanting to be a nurse.

"She also made some notes about which chapters within the books you should read." He pulled out a list they wrote.

He would hand to her to look over and see what would come in handy for her going on about how far she gotten on her own. This had sitting back on her rear and share her most recent story about at home delivery she helped her brother in. Taking about mow messy everything from comforting the mother through her contractions pains to actual birth process. Between the screams about her mother needing to push and her brother telling her how he can see a head. Got untidy at the end with afterbirth and what other body fluid that came out of the mother after her baby was born.

"My brother got to name their kid while we got invited back to celebrate the kid's first birthday." She shook her head from side to side.

"Sounds like you had fun?" Narseh could see her smile.

"Reminds me of when my mother told me about how was my brother and me were born." She smiled.

Narseh would recall how his mother had to use a magical means to convenience him and his sister for the good of Vesuvia. While he listened to Juliana worriedly voice if she would be able to have children of her own in their future. Bringing up how painfully her mother went through nine months she carried her brother and her within her womb. How close she came to almost losing both her children two separate times she was naturally pregnant with them. Would stop when she was young royal reached out to her with one of his arms and pulled her toward his person in a assuring matter.

"I will never allow you to suffer in carrying our children." Narseh vowed. "I'll do everything I can to see our little ones and you make it through."

"...but nothing like what your dad did?" She reminds him.

"Are you bonkers?" Narseh asked her back.

He got a laugh from her that could be heard by whoever else saw her mouth still resting on the outside of the attic. Up he would go asking what was so funny in a dimly lit space where their parents stored most of their old clothes and things. Juliana would answer her brother her about what plans he and Kipling had for the up coming Masquerade, if any.

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Nessaea abruptly showed up at the backdoor of the Devorak household with a gift for Jewel and request to join her them for dinner. Her brother wouldn't think twice about convincing anyone to send her back home when he distress in his eyes. A seat was given to her Kipling at the table when he was in middle of helping prep for dinner by chopping vegetables. She removed her scarf with shaking hands that everyone would notice and scared her brother to a point. Down went her gift on some near by counter while the back door was secured shut for someone to ask why she was here.

"Brother I made a terrible mistake." He words gave some chills.

"Does this have to do with the rumors about yours drunken antics?" Narseh asked her.

She slammed her eyes shut and nods her head up and down before growing quiet for a few seconds before she confessed her mistake. After being caught stealing a single bottle of champagne wine from one of the crates delivered to the Palace. She would invite the person that caught her red handed to the abandoned wing for a bit of private time. After cork was popped and a few mouthfuls were shared straight for the bottle instead of a glasses while between them. Pieces of their own clothing started to come off one after another until she was riding her captor minutes later. End with them passing out and her waking hours later to find out the person she embraced was retired Consul Valerius. Led her to leave before he would noticed her missing and seek out her brother to trying sort out this problem.

"There. There." Jewel used a beat juice stained rag to dry Nessaea's tears.

"At least your weren't discovered still in lover's arms." Kipling assured her.

He went on to tell a few weeks after his arms had been mended by Julius after a nasty fall that injured him throughout his body. Meant he would be bed ridden and placed on a low dose of Morphine through a IV drip within his parents home. Didn't stop them from secretly sharing their first time with each other when Kipling was in a drug induced haze. Time had to be taken with him by Julius from way one would touch the other in a lingering matter to how they spoke.

"My family would soon find me and Julius the next morning in a unclothed state." Kipling wipes off the knife he was using. "We were lucky to have the covers tangled our mid- drifts to cover our modesty."

Juliana and Narseh went in their own from of shock imagining what that looked like as Jewel how to congratulate her son. Led to her telling everyone how her and Julian came to make love for the first time within his own office in the dungeon. Within few short months after they had bond the Devil and saved Vesuvia from his fowl plans with their friends. They returned to his old office within the dungeon of the Palace for old times sake a week afterward. Caught up in the nostalgia of their memories, Jewel stripped Julian of his jackets and gloves while sharing fantasy with him. Aroused him greatly as he listened while they made their way to his edge of his desk and felt the laces of his pants loosen. He welcome invisible hands of Jewel's magic pushing his pants down his legs to reveal a stiffing rod. Followed by his shirt being pushed open and left to hang off his shoulders to leave him exposed to chilly air of dungeon. He fought the shivers when his heated skin was caressed by this coldness to feel the sensation of her finger tips in his chest hair. His eyes on verge of closing, if wasn't for Jewel's silent to keep them open long enough to watch her. She propped her self in sitting position in his desk while rather nervous removing her skirt and undergarments along the way.

View of her like this had Julian bridge the small distance between them and sharing how beautiful she was at that moment. Had her reach up toward tresses of his hair that covered the eye patch that covered one of her favorite about him. Knot that held piece of cloth came undone and was pulled away from his face was a better sight for her. Had him smiling and sharing how he's willing to wait to physically join their bodies in making love to his beloved Jewel. This moment was enough for him as that goofy smile she loved spread across his face when their eyes connected. Led to her further leaning back on to his desk with him willingly followed not caring about what was knocked over. Helping her spread her legs with his arms either side of them with his tip nestled among the curls of her opening. He ended up entering her all in one thrust and breaking her barrier with her yelping alerting him to tensing around him. Quietly waited to start moving to ease the ache while his head started to swim in pleasurable mix of hormones.

"We went on for an hour or half with him describing how our first sexual experience was better then what he been through." Jewel happily recalled. "Before he met me."

Everyone in the room including Nessaea over the detailed story told to them about her and Julian's first time together. Stayed that way until from side hallway, Julian would make his grand entrance with Cant in arm and his wife's tarantula on his head. Saying how he was done with his paperwork for the night before noticing how everyone grew quiet. Looking among his children then their significant others before noticing the one extra guest sitting a their table. Sighs she been crying had him announcing their dinner table was going to be set for one more while asking her what was wrong.

"You are welcomed to stay here until your feel better." He would offer.

She would accept with her brother being the one among them to return to the Palace to fetch a few of her personal things. Clothes would be shared with Julian and whatever that been in storage in the attic up stairs since Jewel and Julian been together. Leaving her in Julius' company in front of the shop taking inventory after they closed up for the night. She volunteered to climb the ladder and read the labels of what herbs needed to be re- stocked after a busy week. Named alone she enjoyed reading when she had to move up and down to look at the shelves that held all these containers. Being careful to not slip on step her ballet slipper clad feet would more on in any direction on the ladder. Until Julius told her they got everything she could climb down for them to clean up his mother's work area behind the front counter.

"How did your know Sir Kipling was The One?" Nessaea's question left him pondering.

"When we first fenced together." He gave an amusing smile. "We ended in a draw and his smile crippled me."

"Would you re-d o your first time?" She blushed recalling what Kipling said.

Julius would sigh knowing that Kipling would start sharing bits and pieces of their private life with his family and close friends. Nothing he could do about what been told not since he was being asked about re- living his first time with Kipling. Painkiller Kipling was on and his mending body with an arm and half his scalp covered in bandages with stitches underneath. Did help prolong their sexual connection until they peaked one after another and were found by Kipling's family.

"Minus the drugs that he was on." Julius clenched the clipboard. "I wouldn't want to relive a single moment."

He would have gone on, if Jewel's voice didn't call the two from the back about dinner being ready for them to come eat. Julius would end up handing Nessaea a few loaves of bread dropped off by the baker during a quick visit to the shop. She would take to them with him quickly behind her pulling something out his pocket and signaling to Kipling to join them. Over to his side the knight would go wondering what was wrong before his left hand was lifted and ring placed.

"Wanted to officially promote your from my lover to fiance." Julius pulled his hands away.

"Told you." Julian looked at his wife and daughter.

"Explains why your dad was out with him." Narseh knew something was up.

Julian would start his countless questions about when grandkids were going to appear and why a wedding was happening. Ready to give over his wife's magical services in a magical sense from fertility magic that was behind Nadia's children. Got him elbowed in the shoulder before his plate and was put down before him as her to get him to stop pressuring them. He would do knowing Jewel wasn't one he wanted to angry knowing he would spend a few nights in his clinic.

"Take your time and promise you will marry like we did during the Spring Season." Jewel asked of them.

"Vesuvia in Spring time." Julian remembered they wedding. "Your mother was so beautiful."

"You were also handsome." She leaned toward his cheek.

A simple kiss was placed by her on his cheek with everyone's plates being placed before them by webs of spiders. Food in their dishes and cups for them to drink out of would follow with offered beverage of tea and juice. Silverware and folded napkins would soon late on either side of the plates placed before everyone.

"What a show." Nessaea would applauds happily.

"Make your think about taking me up on my offer on coming here sooner." Narseh leaned in his seat.

The nod of her head told him she was now happy she came here to hide away from the scandal that was swallowing the Palace. Nadia ended up putting out when new rumors about her daughter being a drunkard and liking the bottle. Surfaced one after another from when she first started drinking publicly to when she experience her first blackout. Portia was the one that had sent her to her brother's second home away from the prying eyes of the Palace. Former Consul Valerius hadn't heard from since he woke up alone without his bed partner laying next to him.

"You up to a busy day tomorrow?" Juliana asked Nessaea.

"I would like to go forging with one of you." Nessaea had heard from guards or Portia about seeing people in the Dark forest. "If I am allowed?"

Jewel would agree to it before Grace took place and they settled down to eat with conversation filling the air. Juliana brought up the wedding clothes and costumes that had been found in chest up in the attic with peppermint leaves. Jewel would be the one that had her hand taken by Julian who would tell the tale behind those outfits. Going into detail about the fun they had and the moments that were shared wearing them. Left Juliana smirking since the One-shoulder Asymmetric Mini Dress was her mother's wedding dress. Looking right at Narseh since he recently shared he wanted to marry her within a few years.

"She does have a lovely pair." Kipling understood the under spoken words.

"She gets that from me." Julian proudly smirk.

"My legs not good enough to be passed on?" Jewel jokingly asked Julian. "I remember someone saying how good them look in heels."

Everyone ended up laughing at what she said with Julian going on about their son inheriting her legs instead of their daughter.


	6. Chapter 6

Jewel always spent a few hours every morning reviewing her memories back of when she was dying again, defeating the devil, and how the fool helped get her old body back. Always going over the 'what if...' she could have taken instead of path she went. What if she made a deal with death, To become the first and what if she made another deal with death to get rid of the plague, and to stop the devil. Three years ago to stop the disease that was killing both vampire and human. Would go through her head as she walked around the kitchen when the son was raising outside the shop. In the middle of making a breakfast casserole oven part of their brink stove while keeping an eye on the fireplace. She was in middle of fire roasting a freshly bought goose given to Julian as a form of payment from a merchant.

"Is everything alright?" Kipling's voice would draw her from her thoughts.

"Just thinking about the past." She sighed. "Got a odd answer."

She ended up using the smoke from the fireplace with her magical touch to create an image that had Kipling creeped out. Image she created was apart of the her thoughts about 'what if' Julian made a deal with The Devil. His pale skin was now replaced by thick black feathers that covered him from head to toe. His feet replaced by a tarsometatarsus while his arms was a mixture of human arms and hands twisted into claws. Left Kipling unable to speak when he was going to request to make a them a cup of tea before sitting down. Have someone else verbally say how scary the picture Jewel created from the smoke. In the form of a Julian practically jumping out of his boots at the sight, when he came from stair well.

"Calm down." Jewel dismissed the smoke. "Just something I am sharing with Kipling."

"From a nightmare?" Julian whispered.

"No, more like my random thoughts." Jewel sighed.

"I always forget how chilling your thoughts could be." He took a cleansing breath.

Jewel would turn her back to him rather angry he reacted the way he did when she was just sharing with someone. Not like she was waiting to show him what she thought would have happen to him back then. Memories from when she proved his innocence as number one suspect in a murder case of the former count. Still bothered her since entering the Arcana realm back then still made the morrow of her bones run cold. Just before she check the cooked the goose was, or pull the casserole out of the oven with her hands. Familiar arms in billowy shirt sleeves would end up reaching out to her waist and wrapped around her. Slowly pulled her close to a hairy chest that could clearly be seen through opened collar of the shirt Julian was wearing. Who would apologize for his dramatic reaction to a simple sharing her thoughts with their future son-in-law.

"Please tell me, you guys aren't about to have relations in front of my fiance?" Julius asked joining Kipling.

"More like your father doing his usual freak out." Kipling whispered.

"Over?" Julius wondered what his father would be freaking about.

Kipling would end up informing him about the image that his mother shared him before Julian walked in and flipped out. Julius sighed and mumbled how this was to early for his family's usual drama at this hour. Going on how he ended up coming back late since he stayed over at the Vlastomil Mansion. Tending to a young girl by the name Aemilia, she was timid young thing that injured her hand when working. End up crying after she had her hand mended that she had her feeling rejected by Praetor Vlastomil. Stating he started treating her with a cold shoulder and emotionless face since he turned down her confession. Wishing she had somewhere else to be then here since she could feel her heart falling apart. Left him to give her a open invitation to leave that place and come to his family's shop for new employment. Before he ended leaving to go back home since this visit was a emergency he ended up covering.

"Explains why you weren't up before me." Kipling understood Julius' sluggish movements.

"All I want is a cup of tea and more time to sleep." Julius yawned.

Jewel would end up giving Julian a kiss before she grasped his shirt in rough manner and reminded him to behaved around guests. This goofy grin that crossed Julian's face when he nods his head and helped Jewel tend to what she was cooking. Leaving Kipling to make tea for the four of them while Julius took a seat at the table to put his head down. Moment of quiet wouldn't last long when Juliana came bouncing down the stairs with her roommate yelling her good morning.

"I know I been saying this for the last few weeks." Nessaea was getting sick of Juliana's cheery self. "Can you tone down the happy?"

Julius would end up laughing at what Narseh had to say about his sister lowering her excitement meter a few numbers. Julian would end up laughing at the idea of his daughter ever showing a ounce of unhappiness as Jewel went silent. Kipling almost dropped the serving trey filled with the cups when this was said before knock at the back door turned heads. Cant ended up running away from her inside nest clucking as loudly as she could when she began running around the kitchen.

"What I Say?" Nessaea looked around the room.

"Something that is impossible to do." Julius blankly stared at her.

"Then isn't some spell or potion that could alter her mood or make her less... cheery..." Nessaea waved one of her hands around.

"Yes, but I rather not use magic to manipulate our children." Jewel was offended.

"How about a drug?" Nessaea asked looked to Julian.

She ended up being completely ignored by him when he turned his attention toward Kipling and asked about his house hunting. Bringing up what property caught the young man's eyes after being shown around the city during his free time. Wanting to know when he cane take his future son- in- law and actual son out for drinks to celebrate the move.

"Actually..." Kipling looked at Julius.

"We decided we're going to stick around." Julius could feel Kipling's on him. "Someone needs to take over the practice after dad's memory goes."

"I take offense!" Julian sorted.

Jewel had to poke Julian in the chest with a oven mite covered hand to keep him from getting to over dramatic. He would move out of her way when she plucked the casserole out of the oven and on to the table. Trying to give her these big sad eyes in order to get her on her good side for almost and carry on his tantrum.

"You want to sleep in your exam room tonight." Jewel addressed Julian in her most authoritative voice. "Don't."

She even cut into her casserole with a wooden spoon to hard that crunch when she cut through the Macaroni layer. Left everyone to become quiet and slowly end up staring at Julian for some type of reaction from him. He could only give one of his signature grins with a single raised eye brow that got eye roll from Nessaea.

"When do we eat?" Nessaea would ruin the mood.

She would end up yawning once more when she stepped down from the stairs pulling at the sash of her silken bathrobe. Being cautious to not snag one a thread of her embroidered juttis on her small feet when she step on wooden floor. Making sure her hair stayed resting on one of her shoulders when she tried to blink the lingering sluggish feeling. Wiggling the sleeves of her night wear to cover her wrists as she noticed her a few chipped nails and ruined nail varnish. Mumbled about why about why waking up so early with the son was important for a bustling household. Going on about how in The Palace, Her family wake up way pass the sun raise and have breakfast in the Dining Room. Where servants bring the food the table instead of food in dishes being passed around.

"Goose is done." Jewel ended up hitting Julian on side of his head with a wooden spoon whens she caught him staring at Nessaea.

Kipling was avoiding staring at her as Julius covered his sister's eyes with clear view of perky and tanned breasts. Were on open display since the robe she wore wasn't doing much in covering up that part of her. Making one that was staring at her happy he wasn't sexually attracted to her gender since she's been here.

"I will be changing my clothes." Nessaea once more fought a yawn. "After I would like to go forging or to The Market with someone."

Everyone already started coming up with excuses to not be left with her after the many time she was in their presence. Weekly trips to the The Forest to gather herbs one couldn't in the market become a tradition in the Devorak household. Disagreed with a pampered Nessaea, she was always complaining about something she didn't like about outdoors. How bugs or insects were biting her when she refused to use homeopathic mosquito repellent Jewel gave her. She was sweating and a heat rash was forming before they even left the streets of the city with baskets in hand. Unable to take another step when she started to get tired out from all the walking the shop's door step, back or front. Being one of the three or two people that worked the front of the shop during business hours with Jewel. They found out that Nessaea's customer service skills to the regulars wasn't so friendly or helpful. She would rudely addressed someone not needing one of a herbal mixture, or gave them a cold shoulder. Not once did she show favor toward chores. Insisting she wasn't one for scrubbing a counter top or de- scaling a fish that was apart of dinner prep.

Left people within the household to not want to work with her as the days went by and the feelings toward her grew. Kipling and Juliana always got the brunt of Nessaea's attitude since they were the early risers besides Jewel. Always being told that her bed needing making and she needed to be the first one in the water closet with a list of demands. Neither one would do since both insisted she do the things herself since they had better things to do. Jewel would simply remind her that she was guest in their home and would be on her way with Julian following behind. No trying convincing Jewel or Julian to follow her every condition without resorting to begging or pleading. Julius was clear the first time she even tried to flirt with him that known of her womanly assets would get him to flinch.

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Narseh would make his daily visit to the shop like always with a some type of gift from the Palace on hand. This time he brought bird seed with him for Malak, Cant, and Duchovny to snack on whenever their fed. Can to crushing end before he could get through the back door and be greeted by Juliana's smiling face. Instead came face to face with his dear sister sitting in the kitchen alone food prepping dinner. Poor thing was snapping green bean ends off all by self while numinous other things things needed to be done. Which had him laying the bird seed down on the counter after walking through a unlocked door.

"Something wrong?" He would come to ask her.

"Seems everyone in this household doesn't like me." She hissed.

She tossed the last split green bean into the bowel with a rough matter trying to understand why nobody didn't want to work with her. Nobody was willing to explain to her when she asked for some type of example or answer. Left her in bad mood when she started to little chores that were given to her by Jewel.

"Have your ever considered the work they do here isn't something your not us to?" He pointed out to her.

He ended up telling her that their lives were very different then one she and he have lived within the Palace. Outside the walls of their home, a servant wouldn't be around to help with every little thing that was done. That every task or errand was done by a member of this household to help contribute over use a servant.

"No wonder." She stopped to think.

"You do reminder that woman we call mother Pasha was once a servant." He would inform his dear sister.

He went on to tell her that before spunky redhead they had come to call mother Pasha or was now known as Royal Consort of Vesuvia. She was once the head servant that worked under their mother before she become her wife of a reigning countess. Who lived in a small cottage within the gardens of the Palace with her pet siamese cat named Pepi.

"When you get the chance." He got up from his seat. "Check it out, our mother has turned the place into a hideaway."

Soon interrupted by Cant when he she jumped on the table and bobbed her head back and fourth. Stopping to stare at Nessaea without even blinking even once that had Narseh wondering what was wrong with the family pet. Not like he was going to even try to stop the silkie chicken of a black coloring from looking at his sister rather creepily. Remembering the last time he tried to even place a hand on one dark fluffy plumage had ended in his hand getting bandaged.

"Am I in trouble?" She whispered to her brother.

"..." He didn't know to do.

Usual Juliana or Kipling knew what to do when Cant acted like this, which left Narseh in a strange problem. He didn't want to waste the birdseed on just simple distraction and get his sister out of this room with out being chased. Had him gripping the hand that was pecked until blood was drawn in his other hand as he tried to plan something. He gulped and start to raise from his seat knowing he was going to lose a few fingers for what he was going to pull. Taking a deep breath before they were joined by Julius and his mother came through the back door. Took a deepen breath he would release before he came face to face with the feathered fowl that was now facing him. Those biddy little eyes looking right at him when he stepped forward with his arms slowly raised on either side of his person. Came to complete stop when Juliana bolted through the back door with chest heaving and eyes at Narseh.

"I Was Just At the Palace." She screamed at him. "I Wanted To Surprise you!"

She would have angrily gone about having her plans ruined wasn't for Kipling coming from behind her. Lifting a gloves to bopped her on the head with a light tap with a fisted hand to keep her from attacking. Sighing when he told her that she not nothing to worry about while pointing out the what was happening. She would noticed by shifting her pent up fury from having hours of walking pointed at the family pet.

"What Have We Told You About About Bothering Guests?" She screamed at the Cant.

She got a was a few clucks before Cant turned around decided to run toward the stair case with wings a flapping. Juliana dumped the basket hanging off her arm on the floor before Kipling's feet and forcefully gave her cloak to him. Before she ran after the Silkie Chicken not caring how she was behaving in front of royalty.

"Tell me again why you prefer her?" Nessaea looked at her brother.

"She's a woman that follows her instincts." A groofy grin spreads across his face.

"That I can attest too." Kipling kicked the back door closed.

He picked up the the discarded basket and adjusted the cloak on his arm with mess that Juliana left behind. Heading toward the table that everyone in the room sat around to place everything on before removing his gloves.

"Your a little extra today." Nessaea pointed out his attire. "Care to explain?"

"Visiting a dignitary from my home land." He spoke of a flavor countess of Vesuvia asked of him. "She needed someone that could translate and act as a buffer."

He would ended up laying the gloves on the table beside the basket and folded up cloak already on the table. So out of his inner pocket of his waist coat, a letter from Nessaea's mother had delivered a few days by a private messenger. The contains were asking him about helping out the countess and her consort to the best of his ability for a few days. With a opened invitation to the Masquerade not as a plus one on the arm of Vesuvia's famed Doctor, but as a guest.

"Since not a citizen just yet and this event means a lot Julius." Kipling smiled. "Why not take the chance and see where this takes me."

"So matching costumes?" Nessaea looked at her brother and Kipling.

Neither one cared about what their partner was going to wear since they just wanted to have fun in company of family. Whatever happens was something they looked forward since entertainment each year was always different. Nadia always tried her best to put on the best celebration with something that can tingle the all five of someone's senses.


	7. Birthday Bash

**Birthday Bash:**

One of those many times of the year came for everyone within Vesuvia to celebrate a birthday of Countess Nadia Satrinava. A time when all of citizens would gather together to show their appreciation toward their Countess this day. Streets of city would end up being decorated by the citizens pleased with how they could make the place beautiful for her. Wanting to show they were thankful for the improvements from the aqueducts to the restoring the flooding sections. Working in secret whenever the Countess wasn't seen around the city in the company of her children or wife. Left one her children on his daily visit to a shop upon walking a familiar path from the Palace's gates to backdoor step. Before he could lift his hand to knock on the door and see who would answer to let him with smile to greet him.

The door would be kicked opened by a angry Juliana shouting at the top of her lungs at someone that was making a point. Dismissing her point when she got a sight of Narseh just standing before her holding a bag and wearing scarf around his head. Two would stare at each other in quiet sense with Cant running around the inside of the shop. Familiar sight of a large brown month resting on one of Jewel's centerpieces in middle of the table just observing. Left the person that Juliana was addressing at top of her lungs to come from behind her and invite in him for tea. That person being Kipling with a knife in hand and half-carved figurine in other as he wore a rather defeated expression on his face.

"Have I interrupted something?" Narseh asked not moving.

"Kipling is being a boob." Juliana huffs.

"I was only making a point." He sighed.

Cant's clucking wasn't helping when on to the table she would scramble to start flapping her wings and getting louder. Making Juliana sigh and ask the two why her parents agreed to let her live instead of eating her. Kipling would look to Narseh without answering what was asked before stepping aside to allow him in. Juliana would cross her arms and do the same with her head turned away from Narseh whole time. Inside Narseh would walk asking about where everyone currently was at this hour as he set his bag down. Making his way toward the table to greet the Toworu resting on the large leaf.

"Mom stepped out with Julius and your sister is upstairs still asleep." Juliana slammed the back door closed. "Dad is covering the front."

"You and Kipling seem to be entertaining your selves." Narseh removed his scarf.

"More like failed attempts of reviewing different forms of childbirth." Kipling pointed over to the table.

On one half of the dining room table was cover in a few medical books and Julian's case files from his most recent cases. Papers filled with notes and pens beside ink well were scattered in front of the seats that held a shawl over the back. Wood carving could be found in a pile on the floor before the leg of another showed where the two were seating. Centered around the decorative piece made by Jewel, that was acting as a resting perch for Juliana's familiar. All to review before Juliana was off to country of Italia to be trained a nurse next month on a ship by Grandma Mazelinka.

"You getting anywhere?" Narseh asked.

"You want to tell him or should I?" Kipling asked Juliana.

She ended up sighing when she drew the curtains over the door's window taking a breath before going over what she learned so far; from learning on her own or from her father. Making sure to recall the last time she sat down with her father and went over latest medical lesson. Using terms that Narseh's only heard when Nazali was in town and spoke about her latest adventure. Kipling was impressed with the knowledge she absorb besides ways to fight with someone.

"What?" She asked feeling their eyes on her.

How could either one of them tell her that their minds have been blown with what she just shared in simple conversation. Would be clarified by one of them wasn't for a housecoat clad Nessaea making a loud yawn. Wondering what all the screaming was about while still dressed in her nightwear with her hair swept sidewards. Sleep was still present with her from what she stood rather laxed and with droopy eyelids.

"Good morning to you too." Juliana and Kipling stated.

"Mother insisted I bring your a few things from home." Narseh pointed toward the bag. "Being that you will not be home to celebrate."

"Not like what I did blew over," Nessaea asked her brother.

Having six women of all different personalities nitpick the latest bit of gossip that servants were spreads around the Palace. Natiqa would be the one that would that negativity would speak about how she sounded like a drunkard and tart. Nasmira'ssmothering about this fling would never help and Nafizah truthful words would cut to the core. Nahara and Navra hands-on approaches would only make things worst for her. Nazali was only one that would want both side of the story before further saying anything else on the subject.

"Your know out grandparents are going to wonder where you would be?" Narseh reminds her.

"They're going to be busy congratulating you." She looked at Juliana. "Everyone started worrying your would never find a bride."

"I didn't want just any girl." Narseh would remind his sister.

Nessaea would roll her eyes at her brother's comment about him and Juliana finally becoming a couple after confessing at The Rowdy Raven. Somehow this news made it back Nadia's and Portia's ears that following morning. Placed smiles on both their faces to see that one of their kids were happy after putting his feelings to words.

"Not all of us are you and the doctor of Vesuvia's hero." She looked at Juliana.

"Well..." Juliana commented back. "We all don't steal from their mother's wine cellar, hook up with our father's former fling, and drink until you blackout."

"Not that anyone of us is impressed." Kipling finally spoke.

Made Nessaea leave the place she standing at since she came down those stairs with a huff on her breath and nose turned upward. Making her way toward the bag brought to her by her brother and kneeling over to pick up with one hand. She would carry with her back up the stairs telling all them she wants to be left alone and not joining them for breakfast. Which left Narseh at a loss of what to do since he came here to see how she was doing with their parents' blessing. Juliana would chase after her and try to convince her to stay down here with them to help her study. Wasn't for the hopeless feeling that could be felt in her pounding heart and left her to start tearing up at the thought. Had Kipling welcoming Narseh to their study session until Jewel and Julius came back from the market with full basket. Through the back door where Juliana's study session was coming to end after Kipling and Narseh went through the material.

Julius would be the one to take the full basket from his mother to place on the table as he greeted Toworu along the way. Jewel was left to walk to the front part of the shop and find Julian fooling around these animal figurines behind front desk. He had a voice for each one when he moved them around the others he had carefully placed before him. End up being asked by Jewel which one of those wooden figurines that Kipling made was his favorite one. Which startled him and had him knocking over the ones he so carefully placed around the Raven and the tarantula. Putting on his goody smile before coming up with an answer and tilting his head toward the still standing Raven and tarantula. Made Jewel walk over toward the back area of the counter where he was with a smile slowly form on her face.

"I like this Kipling." She shared a recent change in their household.

"He's a half Vesuvian, good with a knife, can hold his drink, and can read my handwriting." Julian list most of Kipling's good traits. "I have to like him too."

"You forgot he plays the flute," Jewel added.

Julian hummed at the memory he caught his daughter, his son, and Narseh all listening to Kipling play once. They were all sitting in the kitchen with a single lantern sitting in the middle of the table that all sat with glasses of pomegranate wine. Soft tones of a flute being played by skilled fingers glide over the holes of a hollowed-out tube.

"We should hire a band." Julian's smile grew wider at the idea.

"You forget." Jewel stopped inches from him. "I not an instrument."

"You can sing?" Julian teased her.

Before she could say that didn't count since last time she actually did sing was when their children were small, and lullabies were a song. Julian's arms were around her waist and pulling her close enough to him. To be positioned right behind the counter where she could see the wooden Raven and tarantula from his point-of-view. Told that her voice was the most natural instrument he even heard that first night she sung hushabye mountain.

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Jewel accepted Nadia's invitation to attend her birthday bash with her whole family and their closed loved ones attending. Just that small room that was given to Jewel within the palace as her own wasn't going to work for who was coming. Led to the connecting room being given to Kipling and Julius while Juliana wanted to stay in Narseh's room. Asra with Muriel would stop by some time that evening to join them all got Julian practically hugging Jewel to death. She had to bite his ear to get him to calm down enough to openly threaten him about being left to sleep in his sister's cottage. I got a smirk out of him and asking about the use of cords whenever they were alone in the room. Her got a was another bite this time harden into the top of his ear which ended with his happily hissing.

"I don't know what to wear to this kind of thing." Juliana huffed.

"You know this nothing like the Winter Ball or the Masquerade?" Narseh addressed her.

"You still have to dress up rather formally for those." She reminds him.

"I am still willing to help you." He offered.

She spun her eyes at him with a scuff in her breath she put down yet another dress she thought wasn't right for her. Stepping back and staring at Narseh with a twitch in her eye before asking him to choose for her. Forward he stepped telling her of the countless time he aunts and grandmother would take him shopping in MANY markets. How he was stuck always sharing how he thought his aunts and grandmother looked in the clothes they tried on. Making him develop a sense of fashion when looking for that perfect dress or formal robe one should wear to an event.

"Got any color in mind?" He asked her with his fingers thumbing through beadwork.

"Blue like that one dress I wore when we first were introduced." She was going to test him.

"When we were children or again we were tweens?" He asked.

How she hatred when he had such a great memory whenever she brought up their past as children and even babies. Had her huff and watch him speak to the vendor about something in a blue with beadwork. Not so sheer or transparent like most of the nobles that visit or live in Vesuvia were known for wearing. Granted him one garment that had to be pulled from the back since this was a recent arrival.

"I think I found what we were looking for..." Narseh placed a few coins down. "Hey, Juliana."

He would gently lift to show off to her with not wanting to tear the fabric that made up the piece within his hands. She walked up to him to look over the piece of clothing with the as careful eye with a thumb up. Before watching his fold up the dress and place inside the shoulder bag he decided to wear on his person.

"You win this round." She warned him.

"Score?" He asked.

"..." She looked away from him.

He ends ended up changing the subject to what they were going to get his mother for her birthday this year. To only be reminded that his mother had almost everything in her possession from her own pet to her closet full of fancy clothes. Made getting her anything a problem since she once told her son that he and his sister were her most wonderful gifts.

"Maybe get herself something with magic?"Narseh asked.

"Really?" She looked at him. "You forget what happens between your moms before you came along?"

He grew quiet while adjusting his loosely done up ponytail to his shoulder with breath being released through his nose. The slight flare of his nostrils had him trying to not agree with her on magic-infused gift being too much.

"I not ready for being a father." He wasn't ready to give his mother grandkids.

"I don't think she will ever be ready to be called grandma." Juliana joked.

"You should have been her when she found out she was pregnant with my sister." Narseh tried to not smirk. "She thought that was hell."

Juliana ended up hearing how Nadia went through the miracle of giving life twice in her life in the form of Nessa and Narseh. Her sisters and parents visited throughout nine months until she gave birth within the walls of the Palace. After she gave birth those both times and waiting out for her body to heal in those six weeks of no strenuous activity. She regained her body after a strict diet and an exercise routine for the first 2 years of his children's lives. Even going as far as training her hips back into their former shape with proper corset while raising her children into proper royals.

"We agree to have kids when we're both ready." Juliana stuck her hand out.

"God. Yes." He took her hand and shook.

"What is this about kids?" julius asked them.

Juliana would jump out of her skin when the voice of her brother asked what the subject of children was about. Slowly she turned toward to find him with one of his arms full of scrap wood he collected for Kipling. He stated he just came from the city's art district for usual check over of people there in exchange for wood.

"So..." julius looked at his sister.

"We were just agreeing about having kids when the time calls for it," Narseh answered for her.

"What he said." Juliana pointed at Narseh. "Are and Kipling thinking about kids?"

"We plan to use a magically assistant to have them naturally." He explained.

He ended up walking with them back to the shop while discussing how two men could have children in this world. The answer came from Jewel when she was found on top of a ladder hanging a strange lamp. She climbed each step saying she had a ritual related spell that implanted an article womb in a man.

"All we need is a full moon and a special paste." Jewel placed her feet on the ground.

"Ew and painful." Juliana looked up.

"That magical lantern I heard so much about?" Narseh asked her about it.

Led to an idea Narseh had when he looked to Jewel with a question about commissioning a special gift for his mother. Jewel was game since Julian wasn't any help in his endless ideas of gift to give to Nadia that were rejected one by one. All they needed was Kipling's carving talent and a few panes of glass to create something that all could give to Nadia.

"Narseh, take Juliana and get four panels of glass small enough for a table lamp." Jewel opened the shop's front door. "Kipling you can stop distracting Julian."

Footsteps from the second level of the shop where Julian was in the middle of being entertained by Kiplings's knife skills. He comes to share with Jewel when he came scrambling down those stairs to tell her. Describing how Russian roulette using a sharpened blade and a bare hand laid flat on a table with the fingers spread.

"Not even once did he cut or slice into his hand." Julian excitedly stopped before her. "That's the coolest thing I ever see."

"You can tell me more after you and Narseh come back from the glassblower." Jewel placed a few coins in his gloved hands.

He would grant her when he kissed her goodbye for now and called to Narseh for them to go on a short stroll. Narseh would be granted when he followed out the door toward the direction of the Marketplace where his shop was located. Ordering four panels of glass while Kipling got to work on piecing together a lantern using the wood julius brought. He was careful in cutting into each piece with instruction from Jewel of what needed to be carved into the surface. Stopping when the piece he made matched Jewel's standards exactly before handing the finished piece over. Where Jewel would place among the others that had been finished would lay awaiting while Juliana, Narseh, and julius watched.

"Your taking notes?" julius asked his sister.

"May need to learn to make one someday." She hinted with a wink.

"Mom just put one above the shop door." julius pointed toward the door.

"Never understood how something can turn on or off to show when a place is opened." Narseh was still trying ot get his head around something.

"The salamander you understand," julius remembered.

A memory of when Narseh first observed a small lizard spark the logs that were placed within the small stove on a cold day. The way that small lizard encored with an affinity for the fire element dragged his body across the surface of the wood. Forming a small flame that would grow amazed Narseh in a way that still stuck with him to this very day.

"Would you want me to be like my father?" Narseh asked julius. "Use newly discovered magic for harm."

"I am not in the mood to place hero." Juliana stared at them. "No offense mom."

Jewel happily smiled stating she never wanted her children to inherit her and Julian's debts to their patron Arcana or make deals. Suing those times as a bedtime story for times her children wouldn't get to sleep as little ones back in the day. Made her happily sigh as she watched Kipling work with the basic knife and scraps of wood I nimble fingers.

"How may I ask did you learn this skill?" Jewel asked.

"Your my family's garden before he died." Kipling put down the last piece.

"One those things that attract me to him." julius reached into his pocket.

He pulled out a miniature version of a raven that strongly like Duchovny in a perching stance when on a ledge of a building. Looking over at someone with a piece of ribbon wrapped around the neck that had everyone carefully staring. Ribbon's color was so faded, that one couldn't make out the color and was stained in dried blood splatter.

"Your hair was a lot longer back then." Kipling looked at julius' hair.

"I didn't have time to focused on my appearance when finishing school." julius rubbed the back of his neck. "I was becoming homesick."

They would go on to speak about the blood-soaked ribbon being one that julius wore in his long hair before the indecent. An event that resulted in him putting his medical education to use and meet someone that would meet his heart. The reason that julius would cut his hair to a short style he wore now when told he had some lovely eyes by Kipling.

"Way more romantic than how we got together." Juliana looked at Narseh.

"Me confessing you and you giving me head." Narseh gave away the details. "You have never been for tradition."

"Hush." Jewel looked at them. "I and Julian only follow one tradition when we got married."

When spring took place within the city-state of Vesuvia with flowers of all colors started to bloom and sunlight spreads warmth. The smell of the sea that was carried on chilled breeze when flowing through the rooftops by help from the air currents. A sight that always left Jewel to remember that fateful time when she and Julian were wed within the Temple District.

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Music is played by the local orchestra that were all Countess's favorite songs while servants handed out her favorite foods. Everyone wore their formal clothing while sipping glasses of wine from vineyard belonging to Consul Valerius **.** Some were dancing on the floor with each other in pairs as others were standing around just soaking in the atmosphere. All found time to congratulating the Countess for the work she put into improving Vesuvia. She accepted wholeheartedly as her eldest son was busy introduce his aunts and Grandparents to a nervous Juliana. She wore the outfit that Narseh had picked out for her and held onto his arm when she was shown around to his relatives.

"This daughter of the Magician and my former student." Nazali looked her over **.**

"Welcomed to our family." Nafizah was always welcoming Juliana into the family.

"You're going to fit right in." Navra has already loved the news.

"I can't wait for your wedding." Nasmira was already imaging.

"You make an endearing couple." Natiqa looked at her nephew and Juliana over.

"Makes me want to test your magical prowess." Nahara couldn't wait to test that part of Juliana.

Namar was too overjoyed of the love he could feel between his nephew and Juliana to give his blessing. Way his grandson present himself with this girl on his arm and Juliana moved with beside him. Showed these two already had a natural rhythm most couples take years to create.

"We hope you two work out better than your father and mother." Nasrin looked over at her daughter and Portia. "I'm just glad to found someone that truly makes her happy."

"Grandma!" Narseh sighed.

Juliana squeezed Narseh's arms as a way to compose himself take what his grandmother had to say about his mother's happiness. He would nod his head and take a breath agreeing with his grandmother on the very subject of his parents. Stating he hopes he and Juliana become happy with each other like his mothers had become when raising him and his sister.

"It's your sister I worry about." Nasrin looked toward her granddaughter and Valerius.

Way Nessa kept her distance from Consul Valerius during his interaction with the head of the serving staff on how his wine. Sadness her eyes carried would tell anyone she wanted to be near him without coming off as to smothering or immature.

"I feel that girl is following in her father's footsteps." A maid addressed Former Count Lucio's relationship with Consul Valerius.

Everyone one of Nessa's aunts agreed with Narseh's maid before she would nod her head in respect to his grandparents before she moved on. Keeping her self together when she passed Praetor Vlastomil by a few feet without even flinching. Only allowing him to make a few seconds of eye contact before she quickly made her way toward Kipling and julius. Stopping to inform them that she would be honored to dance with one of them during the next song. Which was grated by julius as Kipling would be given the task to get Nessa away from pining over something that wasn't happening? When he took a walk toward her with his hand taking hold of hers and pulling her to the dance floor.

"Ready?" He asked her.

"Yes, since he's to busy." A smile appeared on her face.

"Good." He took her into a dancing stance.

He ended up drawing her close enough to start moving move the melody of the music started to play for them. Making sure he moved in guiding matter that would draw out her smile even further and forget about Vlastomil. Worked when she picked up the pace with him and moved with his on over skirts of the main group of dancing pairs. Created quite a scene when everyone who wasn't dancing to watch them almost glide across that polished floor. Nessa's family liked the way she slowly starts to smile that spread across her face as Narseh and Juliana waved at them. Julius and a maid were soon to follow beside them to add to the growing attention on Kipling and Nessa.

"Reminds you of something?" Julian leaned toward Jewel.

"You talking about last night or this morning?" She teased back.

"hmmm..." Julian hummed at the memory.

Jewel ended up pressing into him in agreement about the dancing reminded her of their younger years. Stomping around on the desk of Mazelinka's ship to the tone of sea scanties doing the sailors' jig. Swirling of silk scarfs belonging to masked beauties doing a traditional Bell Dance for their entertainment. Diverse forms of sword dances that could be found in different places the ship had made port each time. Way bladed weapon was used to the tune of music and clothes worn always changed with each person.

"Their memories I have never once forgotten." She answered. "Since they were all with you."

She ended up standing on heeled tiptoes to reach the corner of his mouth and place a kiss with gloss cover lips. To be held in place next to him when she was reminded he was still holding onto her waist with a gloved hand. Allowing her to stay close to him for a little while longer and watch their kids interact with one another.


	8. Chapter 8

Having former Consul Valerius visit their shop was something that caught everyone off guard one day when she and her daughter returned from forging. Kipling and Nessaea were left to watch the shop for the day while Julian was away with his son making house calls. Into the shop Valerius was welcomed and told to beware of family pet in the form of Cant. He didn't care about as he handed off a bottle of wine to Jewel from his vineyard with a request to see her house guest. Got him asked how he knew her son's fiance before she was correct he wanted to see Nessaea without their prying eyes. She would grant when he wouldn't take a single excuse about her house guest not wanting to see him.

He ended being left along with her in the kitchen area with only Cant resting on her indoor nest and large brown month on the table's centerpiece. Freshly brewed pot of tea sat between them with a half bottle of wine and two tea cups. Chipped plate of jelly filled cookies and small scones sat beside the tea cups with one them just seating there in silence. One to break the ice between them would be Nessaea, when she adjusted her self in her seat with chair creaking. Making a attempt to get comfortable in her seat before she would a single word to the man she experience her first time with.

"I have come to tolerate you." He's comment was the first.

From first day they met when he was over seeing the delivery of a case of wine to the Palace and noticed her flirting with the guards. In those seconds, a connection form when his scowling Pale Gold eyes looked into her bored red irises. Sparks flew and excuses would be found by her to be around him at all hours of the day until evening came. He somehow found himself able to stand her existence for more the a few minutes when ever he came to the Palace. Small talks within the Palace turned into long strolls within the The Garden or visits to the library's adult section. Become a standing date with spots within the Maze where they would have picnic lunchs with him bringing the wine. Sometimes they would sit on the Parlor and Veranda take about currently events or latest on- goings. Conversations she was able to handle while sober and even carry on reminded him of his patron arcana, The Hierophant. Brought a laugh to his lips and had him welcoming her to his vineyard when he first gave her a invitation. Started off as her being shown around fields where the grapes were cared for until harvested season came. All the way to the building where the barrels filled with the wine and ingredients were stored to age for months. Stopped when his wine was being bottled and corked to be shipped off to whoever had ordered a few cases of his wine.

Changed the fateful night when carnal desire took over and she disappeared the next morning without telling anything. All blame could be put on the crystal wine glasses and stolen bottle of wine from the cellar of her mother's win cellar. She would end up sharing with him within the newly renovated The Abandoned Wing as a private celebration. After the cork was pop and wine that was given time to breath would be poured by them while they talked. One drunken thing left to another when she sat a little to close to him and his ended up placing a arms around her shoulders. Led to a pile of clothes being formed and names being screamed while sweat soaked bodies came together.

"Seems you have been missed." He would knowledge how he missed her presence.

"I have terms." She would answer him.

He would give a nod of his head to answer her while willing to listen to what she had to say upon reaching for the tea cup. Only have the arm he extended taken by her arms to lay the side of head against his shoulder with single demand. Ended up being agreed when forgoing the teacup to interweave his fingers with hers in that moment. He would come to agree to only term she had before into the kitchen flew a rather large month of brown coloring.

"Toworu!" Juliana ran in after the month. "Get back here!"

Month would end up circling for a few more times before fluttering to shoulder of his partner standing a the entrance of the kitchen. She waved to the two of them about to speak before a sleeve clad arm belonging to Narseh wrapped around her waist, and pulled her. Against a familiar chest that was thick with muscle and covered by light fabric of a tunic. Reveal himself to be casually dressed Narseh with his hair in a loose loop styled ponytail done bond by cord.

"Sorry to interrupt." He apologized for himself and Juliana.

"We're fine and I'll be escorting your sister back to the Palace." Valerius looked the two over.

Narseh would end up re-directing Juliana back to the front of the shop where Jewel and Kipling were blending herbs and handle customers. Turning back to his sister to tell her that their parents were waiting to welcome her back home. Stating she was safe to return home with most of the hearsay about what how she and Valerius have die downed. To end up excusing himself from the kitchen area, so the two of them would ave more time to talk.

"I can't believe I am going to be related to him." Valerius could never find himself getting used to Narseh.

His scowl would end up disappearing when her smile would up allowing a small one appeared on his face while asking her something. She would could answer him not caring who was watching them from small hallway that led into the front of the shop. Those eyes belonged to someone that Narseh thought he sent back to the shop's front to help up.

"Juley!" Narseh whispered to her.

He was shush by her once more as he sighed and stayed off to the side for her to keep spying on his sister and former Consul Valerius. Watching him pulled something out from his inner pockets of his robe and lay on the table. Asking her to make a public appearance to the eyes of Vesuvia in the form a date night in private box seats. To watch a opera taking place in a few days within the performance hall as his honored guest or a date. The blush that spread across Nessaea's face when she was given a few minutes of silence him. She looked into his Pale gold eyes with a breath being taken and released for her lung when she opened her mouth. Would be a verbal answer for former palace courtier, if wasn't for one of the spies yelling for her to say 'YES'. Which followed by other one of the spies telling his partner that point of stealth was to be quiet. Making a hush noise after he spoke toward the one that couldn't stop calling him a mood killer.

"You might as well let them join us." Valerius figured Juliana could be ignored.

"You sure?" Nessaea asked.

"If we don't let your brother's confidante join us." He sourly looked toward the prying eyes. "I'll have the wrong excuse to be drinking."

The blush that was on her face got even brighter when into the room her brother would be dragged by a excited Juliana. Who forcefully placed him at one of the other opened seats before seating at the corner of the table with her biggest smile. Swinging her feet when she looked upon a sour faced Valerius just staring at her while Nessaea tried to speak. Her eyes full of twinkle when she looked passed their expressions and on to how they were still connected. Way their fingers were still woven together when their moment was disturb by her and Narseh. Had her taken her biggest breath when she adjusted how she was sitting on the table before speaking.

"Which opera you taking my sister to?" Narseh would end up speaking.

"La bohème and La Traviata to start." Valerius spoke with a raised eye brow.

"That sounds so much better then drunken sex." Juliana gushed.

Nessaea would sharing that moment wasn't how she thought of losing her virginity to someone she was falling for. Since she had something more in mind with candles with a scent of floral and herbal essential oils. In this spacious room with dimmed lights and soft lights of candles with a grand bed covered in silk sheets. Chilled bottled of Montepulciano on a side table in a silver ice bucket with Crystals Flutes on the side.

"Rather detailed for you want to lose your virginity." Narseh was impressed with his sister's fantasy.

"Beats mine." Juliana winked at Narseh.

"You must be so lucky." Valerius dryly addressed the young royal.

"Thanks." Narseh sighed. "Remind me to tell you how we got together."

He got a eye roll instead of actually answer from him about ever being interested in a scene in a seedy tavern in a shadier part of the city. Not like any of the servants hadn't filled the former palace courtier in during one of his visits. He was given all the juicy details about how the young royal came and daughter of the famous came together. Left him wondering how much liker her father Julian was while impressed with the young royal. While one of the rumors he heard about a medicinal wine being made came to his mind before he looked to his tea cup. He would bring up as a change in the topic of conversation in wanting to sample this experimental drink. Willing to give some helpful advice to improve this mixture that only been tasted by Countess Naida and Royal Consort Portia.

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Narseh was in such deep shock about his sister being involved with Valerius, that when he was taken shopping by Juliana with Kipling. He didn't talk back even once when told to hold a piece of clothing or stand and wait for one of them. Sometimes he would react when asked by Kipling about how a gown looked on Juliana or for fashion advice. Nod of the head or a small grunt was all could given them directly without using words since his mind was still fried. Not like the gossip of his sister being counted by the wine snob that was Consul Valerius among mouths of the city folk. Some would stop when they saw his slowly walking behind the daughter of the famed doctor and fiance of famous doctor's son. Hers would just hide their grins from his eyes and point at him about him being unfortunate he was. Saying he still hadn't been seen with a proper lady on his arm since turning down another arranged union.

"Does his mother know about you two?" Kilping asked Juliana.

"We want to break the news to her during the Masquerade." Juliana looked in back of them. "For now, We want to see how far we can get without pressure of his mother or all of Vesuvia.

"Seems far." Kipling nods his head.

They ended up stepping into the large shopping center in Vesuvia with a few vendors in mind for what they were getting. Jewel gave them a list of items were mostly for Julian's clinic and the house since she did the main shopping, that morning with Aemilia and her son. Any thing else was for them since Juliana couldn't find the right accessories for her dress.

"Usual places?" Kipling asked her.

"Maybe." She looked around from where they stood. "This doesn't work out, we'll have to head to the The Red Market and see what they have."

She was mostly the one the led the two guts behind her when she popped around from counter to counter to see their wares. One that caught her eye was around the 5th vendor, his jewelry was similar to what her mother's old Masquerade costume. Rejecting most of the ones that had precious stones such as sapphires and diamonds embedded in them. One with opals and pearls were picked through by her before she figured what she would purchase. Walking away with a set she would place her beside hand Jewel's hand written list and a few items that were already bought

"Your guys even bought a rings for each other?" Juliana asked looking at what vendor had.

"We'll trying to figure out, if we're living at home or moving out." Kipling looked in her direction.

"Just asking." She shrugged.

Away from that vendor when would go with coins exchanging hands for the jewelry tha thad been picked out by her. The rest of the day for them was mostly finishing getting everything from Jewel's list while buying some of own things. A few of medicines Julian used needed to be re- stocked since their glass containers look to be getting low. Besides new reading material in the form of magazines and news prints for the waiting area were picked up from a news stand. Along with a bulk of clothing for bandages to be made from and sterilizing agent for wounds was added. Kipling needed a few more things to finish off his own costume that he couldn't carve or ask Jewel to sew for him. He didn't need much help in picking them out like Juliana did since he already had in made what he was getting with saying word.

"Someone's a natural." Juliana would tease.

"Just good planning." Kipling placed his purchase in his basket.

He got a pat on the back from so hard that he almost fell right off his feet before he could stabilize him self with firmly planted feet. Leering at the woman that tried to get him to stumble backwards towards a still frozen stiff Narseh, right behind them.

"You guys know how you are going to announce your engagement?" Juliana asked. "I know the last time anyone saw my brother, he was leaving to become a doctor."

"We have something planned." Kipling winked at her.

She ended up trying to figure out what he was going to do when they finished up their task throughout the Marketplace. Not like the images of her brother and Kipling wearing matches costumes went through her head. A few were something she pictured her father and her mother wearing when the Masquerade happens. Had her shaking her to hard that Kipling had to catch her when she stumbled on her own feet.

"Careful." He got her back on her feet. "Don't get to excited."

She nodded her head at what he had to say about what had been going on in her head until almost tripping onto the ground. Left her to shake off the edges of her skirt that were mildly covered in dirt with an awkward silence forming. End up bumping into just Kipling's side when he was turned toward the Gleaming white architecture of the Vesuvia's wealthy elite. She shook off her hands to free the dirt with her curiosity peaking wwith where he was looking.

"Everything ok?" She asked.

"Before my mother and her family move away from here at the beginning at of the plague." Kipling's body tensed up. "One of those glittering buildings were her family's home for generations."

"You mean..." She brought her hands to her lips.

"A place filled with stories of my ancestors with imported marble floors all the way from Italia _._ " He recalled his mother's description of the house. "Board up and left behind by head of the house. "

She end took his bent arm where the basket was being held out of a form of comfort since she didn't have the words. Leaning her head on her shoulder when with her free hand lifting to the Attacus atlas moth resting on her shoulder. Allowing the Toworu's phoboscis to feel the skin of her hand for a emotional transference to take place

during minor touch. Mixture of her anxiety over Kipling and consideration she trying to take to keep assist him with this chore. Got Toworu to take off from his spot on her shoulder and in to the air toward the direction of the Center City, where shop was. Flying in to a window that was opened by Jewel to air out the building as she worked out of the front. Landing on the familiar brow of someone that was resting after making rounds for his father in the Flooded District. People there weren't very opened to the son of the famed doctor trying to help out his dad the must of the day.

Who greeted Toworu with a finger he dipped in a honey his mother kept to sweeten her tea whenever Countess Nadia visited. Become overwhelmed by the emotions the Attacus atlas moth carried from his sister during the short flight. Had him on his feet and yelling he was leaving for the day to find find where his mother sent is sister and Kipling. Only answer he got was a loud grunt from his father followed by other noises that bothered him in ways he shook off. He just hurried out the door by adjusting his capelet coat and gloves with his shoulder bag without a second through. Cawing from Malak and Duchovny didn't help him when he placed Toworu on his shoulder for his search. Cant's clucking didn't improve his move when he slammed the door from the outside wasn't enough to the get the ravens.

"Why don't you two help me, instead of whine at me." He screamed at them.

Duchovny would stare at Malak with a head tilt from right to left without cawing once to get that raven to agree. Into the air the would take flight to start searching for the top of Kipling and Juliana's heads from their bird's eye view. Left julius to be told where to go by words from the moth where he needed to go within the city- state. He quietly walked a path of people that publicly greeted him with presents of all sorts and verbally say so. Renewed the sour mood he had in his mouth from working with his father and being disrespected repeatedly. By the time he found Kipling and his sister just standing with their eyes on what was in his arms.

"Your trying to surprise me?" Kipling asked.

"Is that baker Selasi's pumpkin bread?" Juliana asked about a loaf in his arms.

Julius would hand his sister the bread while changing places with her to stand next to Kipling and take his hand. Lacing their fingers together until he drew him near and reminded him of the new life he was forming with his family.


End file.
